Five Thousand Years
by Twilite-Crescent
Summary: The IY gang is getting ever closer to destroying Naraku.But there is a problem to face:they can't do it alone.And there is a new Inu-Youkai in town.Will she be the glue to hold them together,or will she tear them apart? slightly AU,Sess OC pairing
1. A Mother and a Beast

Rins little feet were running just as fast as they could as she darted through the dense forest, tears were washing away the dust that was gathered on her innocent cheeks. Branches stung her face and arms, and her feet, which were bare because her shoes had fallen off some time ago, were extremely sore because of the rough terrain which she was crossing.

She ducked under a low branch, and as she stood up on the other side, she chanced a look back, still running.

There was no one behind her, and as she listened, she could only hear her own deep breathing in the forest around her. Certainly if Jaken was following...she let out a cry of shock when the earth disappeared from under her feet and she went tumbling head over heels. Her breath caught, and she clenched her eyes shut, waiting to hit ground.

When the ground did come, she was lucky to fall in a deep pile of autumn leaves, so she felt no pain. She sat up and brushed the brown leaves from her hair and sleeves before looking up with a sniffle. She'd fallen at least ten feet into what appeared to be a dry river-bed. She listened silently for any sound around her. There was none. She stood up slowly, her young and small body buried waist deep in the discarded leaves of the forest.

"That's a long fall for a little one to take." She jumped, squeaking in fear before throwing her back against the dirt wall of the riverbank. She looked to the sound of the voice, and gasped. Eyes as white as snow were gazing back at her from under pale white eyelashes. The woman was beautiful, to be sure, even crouched low as she was. Her hair was as white as her eyes and hung free, trailing across the leaves and rocks littering the river bed like tender rivulets of foaming water. _It must be as long as she is tall..._Rin thought, gulping. The womans intelligent and unusual eyes blinked slowly before she spoke again. "Are you wounded, little cub?" she leaned her chin out, and Rin could tell she was sniffing the air. "I smell no blood, but have you broken something?" the eyes examined the height of the river bank for a moment before coming back to rest on the trembling child.

"I do not think so." Rin murmured quietly. If the woman had not been demon, she wouldn't have even heard it.

"That is well." The eyes blinked slowly again before the woman stood up. Rin discovered she was correct, her hair was just as long as she was tall, and even laid a few inches of its silky length on the ground when she was drawn up straight as she was. She assessed that she was a few inches shorter than Sesshomaru-sama...oh, Sesshomaru-sama!

Her eyes welled with tears uninvited, and without warning she began to cry all over again.

The woman blinked and raised her eyebrows in shock before taking a cautious step forward, glancing around to make sure no one else was nearby, waiting to attack while she was pre-disposed. "Child?" Rin sniffled and looked up at the woman through tear-filled eyes. "Are you..." she sniffed the air again, "...you are not physically wounded...why do you cry?"

Rin gulped air into her lungs, trying to repress sobbing once more. "J-Jaken-sama said that...that..." she wiped tears away from her cheeks hastily, "...he said that Sesshomaru-sama wo-wouldn't...come...back...for me." Her lower lip trembled. "I didn't want to believe him, but Lord Sesshomaru hasn't been back for a few weeks now. He...he...I think he doesn't like me anymore!" with that, she was reduced to a fresh round of tears.

The woman knelt down and crawled slowly closer to the child, scenting the air. Lord Sesshomaru? This child was a property of his? The woman knew she was treading on thin ice if the great Inu-demon of the western lands was involved. Desperately wanting to soothe the child, but also desperately not wanting to lose her head, she could neither walk away nor move closer. "Ssh, ssh now little one. Do not weep." She tried her best to sound soothing.

Rin sniffled and dried her eyes. Her lip still trembled, but she put on a good effort to halt her tears. The woman smiled kindly on her as little Rin spoke, "You are right. Sesshomaru-sama would not want me to cry. Crying is for weak people. Crying would not make Sesshomaru-sama happy."

"That's the spirit. You must be strong, must you not?" Rin nodded at her, then her young brows came together in thought.

"What is your name?"

"My name is Fuyuko. And yours, little one?"

"Rin. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Lady Fuyuko." Rin made a show of standing up and bowing from her waist.

Fuyuko smiled softly and bowed in return, "It is indeed a pleasure, young Rin. But please, I am no Lady. You may address me as Fuyuko-san."

Rin beamed, "Yes Fuyuko-san."

Fuyuko tilted her head back and sniffed the wind once more. There was no sign of any high level demon in the area. Would it be safe to take the child under her wing, so to speak? She glanced down to find expectant brown eyes staring up at her. "You said that a...Jaken-sama was your caretaker?"

"Hei, Fuyuko-san. Jaken-sama and Ah-Un watch over me while Sesshomaru-sama is away."

"Then I feel it is my duty to return you to your proper caretakers. No doubt they are worried for you." Fuyuko shook some freshly fallen leaves from her back before standing up once more.

Rins smile fell, "But...but Jaken-sama said such mean things. And he did not follow me when I ran..." she bowed her head.

"Do you truly believe that Jaken-sama meant what he said?" she folded her arms into her Kimono's sleeves and looked down on the young human patiently.

Rin thought on it a moment. "No...I think Jaken-sama misses Sesshomaru-sama just as much as I do, and that he is just saying these things because he wants me to tell him that Sesshomaru-sama will return." Rin looked up from the ground and met the demon females eyes. "I always keep Jaken-sama happy when Sesshomaru-sama is gone. Jaken-sama thinks very much of Sesshomaru-sama."

Fuyuko nodded. "Then we will go." She held a hand out, which Rin eagerly took. Careful of the way she handled the delicate child, Fuyuko hoisted her onto her back and had her wrap her arms around her neck. With one leap, they were safely out of the river bed, and the demon sniffed the air to find the scent trail the young human had left.

As she began to make her way through the forest, she felt a throb of demon energy ripple through the forest. She flinched delicately, careful not to show any worry to the child she carried. Someone was angry, and she had a sneaking and worrying suspicion that someone was Lord Sesshomaru, and she was going to get a good beating from him, despite her good intentions.

Hopefully the Kami's were smiling on her enough to let him spare her life...

///

Sesshomaru had been following a lead on Naraku's where-abouts. A lead which took him far south, and in the end proved to be fruitless. The Naraku he'd been sent on a wild hunt for was a mere puppet which took Sesshomaru all of fifteen seconds to destroy.

Now that he was back in InuYasha's forest, where he'd left Rin, something felt wrong. Long before he entered the clearing, her heard Jaken squabbling incoherently, as he was wont to do in any situation. Jaken didn't notice his lords presence, however, until his shadow was over him.

"ACK! Milord, oh please forgive me, I am but a humble servant, and compared to you I am so lowly and do not even deserve to be brought death at your hand!" he bowed repeatedly at Sesshomaru's feet, his eyes shut tightly for fear of what look he'd see on his lords face if he should look up.

Sesshomaru only blinked at the creature groveling in front of him before examining the clearing. "Where are Rin and Ah-Un." Even a question sounded like a command when he spoke.

Jaken gulped and froze in motion entirely. "Milord...Ah-Un is...well um...he's flying. And Rin, Milord...well she ran off...and that is why Ah-Un is flying, he is searching for her from the sky...and I'm sure she's fine...just..." he gulped again, feeling Sesshomaru's energy flare with anger.

"What did you say?"

"Rin...ran off?" Jaken squawked when Sesshomaru's boot met with his gut and sent him flying over the tree-tops. Even as he sailed through the air, he managed to shout extreme apologies and eccentric flatteries about his Lords good aim and strength.

Sesshomaru felt the great urge to roll his eyes, but suppressed it, instead focusing on Rins scent. He followed it into the forest, taking note the scent of tears that coated her usually joyful essence. He made a note to punish Jaken more severely when the little imp made his way back.

He halted when he noticed that a new scent had joined Rins. He walked back and forth, assessing the situation with his keen nose. Rin was unhurt, and it would seem that whatever demon was with her had been retracing the girls steps, obviously intending to take her back where she'd come from. But something had made the demon change course...

Sesshomaru followed the new trail, moving quickly. He wasn't keen on trusting a strange demon with his ward. He paused shortly when a third and fourth scent conjoined on the trail. Lesser demons. He touched a slick of slime coating a nearby tree trunk. His eyes narrowed. Scorpion demons.

He ran faster, intent solely on protecting the one creature left who gave him the closest thing to what he could call joy. When he broke into a clearing, there was already a fight under-way. Three scorpion demons were bearing down on a white haired demoness who was having a hard time dodging their multiple attacks. His eyes caught sight of a motion by a collection of rocks on the far edge of the clearing.

Rin.

The child was breaking away from the protection of the rocks and running for him. "Sesshomaru-sama!"

He made to run towards her, but was not fast enough. A scorpion demon was right behind her, its stinger poised to strike. He blinked, and a blur of white was covering the humans body. Rins cry of shock hurt his ears when the stinger landed, piercing through the body of the white haired demoness. He was still moving forward, watching as the woman pushed the child from under her, urging her to run even as blood leaked from the corners of her mouth.

Rin was next to him in a moment, and without hesitating he disintegrated one after another of the scorpion demons with his poison whip. Five in total, he noted. They were getting desperate if they were ambushing, since scorpion demons are not well known for being sociable.

When all danger was gone, Rin darted out from behind his legs, running and falling to her knees next to the demoness' body. "Fuyuko-san!!! Get up! Please be all right!"

She shook the females limp body, fresh tears welling in her eyes. As Sesshomaru walked towards them, Ah-Un landed in the clearing, voicing his concern for the weeping Rin before nuzzling her gently. Rin hugged both of the dragons muzzles before turning soft eyes on Sesshomaru.

"Oh, please help her Sesshomaru-sama. She was taking Rin back to Jaken-sama, and she protected Rin. Don't let her die!"

Sesshomaru blinked at his young ward, then turned his cold amber gaze to the limp demoness next to her. She was not dead, nor was she dying, but if she was left alone, unconscious, there were scavenging demons who would change that fact very quickly. The female had protected his ward, so his honor demanded that he repay her. The dog demon gracefully sat down cross-legged and nodded to Rin. "We will watch over her."

Rin beamed at him, running forward to wrap her arms around his waist gratefully. "Oh thank you Lord Sesshomaru. Thank you very much!"

Ah-Un had already instinctively wrapped himself in a half circle around the demoness' body, forming a barrier around her. Sesshomaru examined the clearing and scowled. He didn't like where they were. It was too close to that human village that his moron half-brother frequented. He would no doubt have to face the intolerable bastard before too long, a fact he didn't like. He could smell the taint of his half-brothers scent all over the place already, and that was bad enough.

He glanced back at the unconscious demoness in front of him. He hoped that the female was worth it.

///

Fuyuko was listening to the child on her back ramble about everything that crossed her mind. Somehow, it was soothing to her. She smiled softly. It had been a long while since she had met a child, and such a lively one at that. Mid-stride, however, she halted and held a hand up to silence the young one. Rin, thankfully, obeyed and fell silent immediately.

The demoness' eyes searched the shadows between the trees. Something wasn't right.

The rustle of leaves over-head gave her enough of a warning to leap backwards as a very large scorpion stinger came crashing down to stab the ground where she stood. Rin screamed in fright, and Fuyuko instinctively brought the child from her back and into her arms before tearing away from the lesser demon. As she ran, her ears told her that there were several of them, and they were all staying in the tops of the trees as they gave chase. She glanced down worriedly at the human child in her arms. She didn't want the little one to be hurt.

Breaking out of the forest and into a clearing, she saw the only hope there was for the childs safety. She made quickly for a grouping of rocks, and sat Rin down in a crevice that was only large enough for the little girl to fit in sideways, and it went deep enough that she would be out of reach of the scorpions arms and stingers should Fuyuko fail in killing them.

"Stay here until your Lord Sesshomaru or Jaken-sama come for you. Understood?"

"Y-yes Fuyuko-san." Rin trembled, pressing herself deeper into the crevice.

Satisfied that the child would stay put, and stay safe, Fuyuko leapt away from the rocks. As soon as she landed, the demons were on her. Three of them struck at her with make-shift spears and their stingers, while another two skirted the clearing, obviously searching for the child that they knew she had with her.

As she spun out of the way of the largest scorpions stinger, she heard the child calling out. "Sesshomaru-sama!"

She turned wide eyes to see the child running across the open ground of the clearing, a scorpion demon only feet behind her. Fuyuko felt the slight sting of a spear cutting open her side before she ran towards the child. Faster than she thought she could move, she was over the little human, doing the only thing she could think to do: Shielding Rin with her own body.

As the scorpions stinger plunged through her stomach, she saw the silver haired man moving towards them. The marks on his face and the hard look in his amber eyes told her that this was Sesshomaru. She wanted to cover her sensitive ears when little Rin screamed, but instead used her hands to push the child to her feet. "Go, Rin, go. Go to Sesshomaru-sama." She felt the stinger being withdrawn, heard the palpable sucking noise as it left a crater through her abdomen.

The last thing she saw before the world spun and went to blackness was Rin ducking behind the demon lords legs.

_She's safe._

_///_

InuYasha was crouching in the doorway of Kaede's hut, his silver ears flattened against his head. "Kagome!"

The miko that was inside the hut, leaning over a pot of Ramen that she was preparing for everyones dinner, scowled. "Don't shout, Yasha! I'm right here, for crying out loud. What do you want?!"

The hanyou turned a glowering eye in her direction before returning his gaze fully in the direction of the forest that bore his name. "I smell my ass of a half-brother out there. He's a little too close for my comfort." Kagome stood up straight and came to stand behind her hanyou friend. She could indeed feel Sesshomaru's reiki nearby, not far from the bone-eaters well.

She frowned, "But it's been so long since he's...what on earth could he want?"

InuYasha scoffed, "Knowing him, he just wants to piss me off." He extended his claws in agitation.

Kagome smiled softly and took one of his ears between her fingers, tweaking it gently. "He's not coming any closer, obviously. He may just be passing by. Let's let it rest for tonight, eh?" InuYasha muttered an incoherent response, his eyes closed and one foot tapping against the floor of the hut. Kagome smirked, proud that she had learned just how to make the Inu turn to mush at her hands.

As soon as she let go of his ear, he whined, "Heeeey, 'Gome..."

She rolled her eyes, "If you intend to eat tonight, you'll let me finish cooking this Ramen before I return to scratching your ears, Yasha." The hanyou let his ears droop, whimpering slightly. Sometimes the world was so unfair in the choices he had to make. Before he went inside, he twitched one ear in the direction of the forest. _What're you up to, Sesshomaru?_

_///_

Sesshomaru watched as the sun peaked slowly over the tree tops. A new morning.

He glanced behind him at the demoness who was still lying unconscious. Her wounds had healed surprisingly well, and since Jakens return in the middle of the night he had made Ah-Un form a barrier between the demon female and his human ward. He himself knew how dangerous a demons beast could become when a demon was wounded like this. Who knew when it would awake and try to attack the nearest thing to her.

He blinked and sniffed the air. Hn, his half-brother was on the move this way with his little pack.

Sitting down once more with his back in his brothers direction, he waited. At the very least the hanyou may be able to amuse him for a short while.

///

InuYasha glared silently at the back of Kagome's head. "...'Gome." she ignored him. "Kagome." She continued ignoring him. Miroku, Sango, and Shippo were all eating the breakfast that Kaede had cooked them, eating in silence and avoiding eye contact with either the hanyou or the miko.

"Ka-go-me." When she still didn't respond, he flattened his ears to his head. "Hey woman!" Kagome twitched in agitation, but still did not respond. "Look, I get that you've got your 'female problems' to worry about, but do you hafta make me suffer because of it?" The miko twitched again. "...'female problems', InuYasha?" The Inu shrunk back when he heard the dark tone of her voice. "Look, I just assumed, I mean you were bein' all..." "Yasha?"

"Yeah?"

The miko turned to face him. "Sit boy."

The WHUMP! that broke the hanyou through the floor didn't make anyone in the hut flinch, it was such a common occurance, but when the Inu crawled back out of the hole, Kagome spoke her mind on the matter at hand.

"I think you're being stupid, Yasha. Sesshomaru isn't doing anything to us or anyone else. He's just there. By going out there you're asking for a confrontation, which would result in some huge fight that could hurt the people around here more than anyone else involved. I'm not going to risk the village being ripped apart because of you and your brothers stupidity."

"Half-brother!"

Everyone rolled their eyes. "Half-brother. Whatever. Point is, I'm not letting you go. I'll 'S' word you through every layer of earth and out the other side so fast you won't know what hit you. Understood?" she glared at him darkly.

"No! He's plotting something! That stuck up 'I'm-so-cool-I-talk-in-third-person' prick is up to something, and if we don't go out there and chase him out of the area soon, he'll be down in the village drooling on everyone until everyone here is a pile of that sticky stuff you brought from the future that one time...Jembo? Jellin? Je-somethin'?"

Kagome raised an eyebrow, "Jell-O."

"Yeah! Jell-O! You don't wanna see the village reduced to Jell-O, do ya?!" InuYasha leaned forward, pressing his point.

Miroku took his chance to speak up. "Miss Kagome, though I do hate to take sides, InuYasha may be correct. Sesshomaru is not well known for sitting still for long. Something is awry."

Shippo took a loud slurp from his soup bowl before putting in his own advice. "Yeah 'Gome, you know how I never agree with dog brains. But he's got a point this time."

"Don't call me dog brains!" InuYasha thumped the little kitsune over the head.

"Yasha..." Kagome warned.

The hanyou sat back, drooping his ears in upset. The miko sighed and looked to Sango, who was stroking Kirara's back as if in thought. The whole group waited silently for the slayers opinion.

When Sango looked up and saw everyone looking at her expectantly, she jumped. "Oh...me? Well...um...Oddly enough, InuYasha has a point. A valid point. Though I'm not sure the Jell-O part will be true...I do think we should go and face Sesshomaru while he is still a fair distance from the village."

Kagome let her shoulders slump in defeat. "If you're all sure."

The group nodded, and Shippo stood up. He morphed himself into a mini Sesshomaru and imitated his voice almost perfectly, "This Sesshomaru thinks you are all fools no matter what you do. So haha."

Everyone laughed, and Kagome scooped the kitsune into her arms in an affectionate embrace. "Then we'll go. Everyone finished eating?"

"Yes, we are. Now let's go!" InuYasha stalked out of the door and waited impatiently for everyone else to join him.

Kagome scooped everything into her over-stuffed yellow bag, and was the last one to head for the door. Kaede stopped her, giving her a tight hug. "Be safe, Kagome. I do not think Sesshomaru means anyone harm, but I do urge you to remember the advice I gave you not long ago..."

Kagome nodded, returning the hug before walking out of the hut. Kirara had already transformed, and Sango, Miroku, and Shippo were mounted, ready to go. InuYasha was tapping his foot impatiently. "You're so slow Kagome!"

"Mr. Attentive, to the rescue." She grumbled while she climbed onto his back.

"What was that?!"

"Nothing Yasha." She tweaked his ears slightly.

"Feh, whatever."

And with that, they were off, bounding into the forest. Kagome held on tightly and thought about what Kaede had said. _...remember the advice I gave you..._

And remember she did. She bit her lower lip nervously, worrying it with her teeth until it almot bled. Was now a good time to follow that advice?

///

-Three Days Earlier-

Kagome and Sango were enjoying a cup of tea in Kaede's hut while the boys sparred outside. The atmosphere was comfortable, peaceful, for which the whole group was thankful as they had just come back from fighting a rather large den of spider demons.

The peace was interrupted when Miroku was heard calling Sango's name pleadingly from outside. The two woman tilted their heads and listened. "Is he...saying something about his uncle?" Sango questioned.

Kagome giggled, feeling slightly guilty that she had taught InuYasha the term a few weeks prior. "You'd best go help him Sango. It means Yasha's got him in a tight spot."

Sango shook her head, but stood and walked outside. Kagome heard her shouting about behavior and appearances, and couldn't help but laugh. Kaede entered the room. "What is so funny?"

"Oh, the boys are sparring outside. I'm afraid they've caused a ruckus that brought Sango's attention..." they both chuckled when they heard the tell tale smack that could only come from Sango's hand connecting with a certain monks cheek.

"Kagome, there is something I wished to speak with you about when we were alone..." Kaede began nervously.

Kagome's eyes darted up to her as her heart thudded in her chest. Was something wrong? "What is it Kaede-sensei?"

The older woman lowered herself to sit next to the miko, and lowered her voice. "It is about your battles." She paused, glancing towards the doorway as if to make sure no one was going to interrupt. "I fear that with Naraku's increasing strength, and with there only being a few jewel shards left...your small group will not be able to win the final battle. You are strong, but not that strong. Not as of yet." she shifted her weight and faced the young miko more fully. "This is why I chose to speak to only you on this matter. You are the most reasonable, the most understanding and intuitive. You need to gain allies. More allies. I believe you know of whom I speak."

Kagome blanched slightly. "Koga?" the woman nodded. "And...Ki...Kikyo?" another nod. "I...well I suppose you are right. It makes sense. I will try my hardest to gain the allies we need to win." Kagome nodded, sure of Kaede's wisdom.

"That is good. You have forgotten one ally, though, child." Kaede stared at her expectantly.

Kagome blinked, sorting through her thoughts, trying to find who Kaede could be speaking of. "Um...who have I forgotten?"

"Sesshomaru, naturally."

Kagome blanched, "WHAT?!"

In a split second, InuYasha was in the hut, "What's wrong? Are you okay 'Gome?!"

Kagome blinked up at him, "Yes, yes, I'm fine. Just...sorry, I didn't mean to worry you. You can go back outside now."

"No, I'm not leaving you. Not if your having one of your 'mood swings'." InuYasha plopped onto the floor.

Kagome flushed with anger, "What did you say?!"

Kaede shook her head, walking out of the room while the two bickered. Her point had been made. She was sure Kagome would not forget it, and that was all that she needed to know.

///

-Present-

InuYasha landed on top of a tree and glared over his shoulder at Kagome. "What do you have in that bag? A bunch of boulders?"

Kagome stuck her tongue out at him. "No, it's all the RAMEN you demand to eat every day!"

"Can you two stop bickering already? If we take too long Sesshomaru will be on the defensive by the time we get there. We do want to catch him off gaurd, right?" Sango called back to them.

Begrudingly InuYasha resituated his grip on Kagome's legs before taking off again. Why was it that his stupid half-brother had to come ruin every peaceful moment they had to share? It seemed like the mere mention of Sesshomaru's name got him and Kagome bickering like alley-cats for days.

He scoffed to himself, he shouldn't even let Sesshomaru have such an effect on him...but he did.

With one last leap he landed in the clearing where Sesshomaru was sitting. Kirara landed next to him, and the group gracefully fanned out and prepared for battle. Of course, InuYasha was the first to open his big mouth. "Oi! Fluff-wad! Wanna explain what you're doing on my turf?!"

Kagome would have scolded him, except she noticed something. There was an apparantly female figure laying in the middle of the clearing, and the first thing that Kagome noted about her was that there was blood covering the ground around her. Was she dead?

"This Sesshomaru has nothing to explain to you, insolent pup."

InuYasha growled, perturbed by the fact that Sesshomaru was _sitting _with his back facing the group. As if they weren't any threat at all. "You have alot to explain! You shouldn't be anywhere near here. Go, fetch a stick or something!"

Kagome rolled her eyes at InuYasha's juvenile excuse for arguing. "Yasha, one would think you'd be grateful that he isn't attacking us all right now. Lay off it, would ya?"

InuYasha muttered something under his breath, but fell silent. Kagome took her chance to speak up. "Sesshomaru-sama, we don't want to be nosey or anything, but we would like to know why you are so near to our village."

"Hn." Was the only response she was offered.

But it surpassed her at that moment, because InuYasha was crawling towards the woman that was laying on the ground. "Is she dead?" she asked softly, genuinely concerned.

InuYasha turned one ear to face to miko, "No, she's alive. And healing. She'll be fine in a few hours, no doubt." He sniffed the air around her. "She's a dog demon. Not too strong though."

"This Sesshomaru would not lean over her like that if I were you, mutt."

InuYasha glared at his brothers back. "And why not?"

"You are aware that a demons beast comes out when a demon is weakened. Should her beast awake and find you, a strange hanyou, leaning over her threateningly...well, it would amuse this Sesshomaru greatly to see you beaten by a woman."

InuYasha growled, "I'm shocked you managed to speak more than a single sentence, oh great one. Please, enlighten us with more of your wisdom. Honestly, what's she gonna do in this state? Snore me to death?" Kagome gasped in shock, when InuYasha could not, as the demoness' clawed hand came up in a lightning quick movement to close around the hanyou's throat. Her eyes were open wide, and coated a deep red that Kagome had only seen when Sesshomaru lost control of his beast. A dangerous growl was emitting deep from the demoness' throat, and Kagome could swear she felt the vibrations of it in her chest.

Jaken, who had been silently watching, now erupted with laughter, "Haha! That will teach you, you dirty mongrel! Speaking up to the great Lord Sesshomaru! Humph!"

Shippo jumped on the toad and promptly began beating him up. Kagome gave him a silent mental cheer before focusing on what was happening in front of her eyes. At this point, the demoness was standing up, holding InuYasha off the ground with only one arm, and InuYasha was clawing at her wrist with all the strength he could muster, gasping for breath.

Kagome looked to Sango and Miroku for help, but they were both as dumbstruck as she. Tetsusaiga was strapped to Kagome's side because InuYasha hadn't wanted it impairing his movement as they travelled. Kagome couldn't use her arrows, she'd be more likely to hurt the hanyou than the demoness. Miroku's windtunnel was useless, for obvious reasons, and no one was stupid enough to get close enough to fight any other way.

So Kagome made up her mind and just started shouting. "Hey! Let him go! He wasn't gonna do anything to you!" she felt her stomach lurch when a pair of red and infuriated eyes met hers, but she pressed on. "Really! He's harmless! Please put him down! You'll kill him!" there was a small flicker of recognition in the blood colored depths, and the deadly grip on InuYasha's throat lessened.

"No!" the innocent cry startled everyone, and they turned to see Rin running as fast as she could towards the demoness. Sesshomaru was on his feet, "Rin!" it was a command, but Rin ignored it, instead ploughing into the demoness' legs, hugging them with all her might.

"Please put him down Fuyuko-san! You don't want to hurt him! InuYasha can be mean, but I don't think he deserves to die! Oh Fuyuko-san, please?!" Rins chocolate eyes were filled to the brim with tears, and the demoness was looking down at her in contemplation.

She blinked once, twice, three times, and the blood colored eyes were gone, replaced by snowy white irises ringed by a gentle smoky gray. InuYasha was dropped unceremoniously onto the ground. "Sonofa-!" his cursing and hacking were ignored as all eyes were on the white haired inu-demoness that was gently combing clawed fingers through the human childs hair.

Rin smiled up at her. "I knew you wouldn't hurt him, Fuyuko-san."

A small and gentle smile was returned to the girl, "Thank you little one."

"Rin." The low growl made the child jump, realizing that she had upset her Lord. She quickly ran to Sesshomaru's side. "I'm sorry Sesshomaru-sama, I know I disobeyed you." She kept her head bowed, but Sesshomaru ignored her.

His ice cold eyes were pinned on the demoness, who met him stare for stare.

Miroku stepped slightly behind Sango. "Am I the only one here who feels like there's about to be a huge fight that we don't wanna be sticking around for?"

**///**

**Hehe, so that's chapter 1 ^^; lemme know if you like it, don't like it, didn't really read it, whatever. Reviews are good for the soul. There will be lemony goodness in later chapters (don't know how fast we'll be getting there, but we'll see) and that's why there's the M rating. That, and language will get slightly worse. Because swearing can be therapuetic. Anyway, thanks for reading! XOXOXO –Mistress Twilit**


	2. Remembering, Traveling, & Bathing

**Kastushika-**Thanks for being the first to review! I hope I can meet your expectations with every chapter :) And thanks, I'll need all the luck I can get! Lol

**Nyony's Echo-**Hey you! Thanks ever so for taking the time to come review *blushes* lol, and even if it would be a spoiler...the answer is both ;) I should take bets on which couple lemonize each other first, huh? *giggle* CU around hun :)

**Shanaye-**Thanks very much, I wrote this chapter as fast as I could. Hope I didn't make you wait too long :)

_**-Last Time-**_

_Rin smiled up at her. "I knew you wouldn't hurt him Fuyuko-san."_

_A small and gentle smile was returned to the girl, "Thank you little one."_

"_Rin." The low growl made the child jump, realizing that she had upset her Lord. She quickly ran to Sesshomaru's side. "I'm sorry Sesshomaru-sama, I know I disobeyed you." She kept her head bowed, but Sesshomaru ignored her._

_His ice cold eyes were pinned on the demoness, who met him stare for stare._

_Miroku stepped slightly behind Sango. "Am I the only one here who feels like there's about to be a huge fight that we don't wanna be sticking around for?"_

///

Dreams came. Wretched dreams. Nightmares, even, of fire, blood, screaming. Her fathers face grinned at her, the feral grin that she had known so well. _"They don't deserve to live, Fuyuko. They are lesser creatures. They need to be eviscerated."_ His voice, deep, raspy, unnatural, made her cringe. She wanted to cry, but couldn't. Crying was for the weak.

She watched the man who gave her life crush the throat of an innocent young mother. Blood sprayed, and Fuyuko found that it coated her own pristine white kimono. She was tainted. Forever tainted. A tear dripped onto her cheek, and she immediately felt her fathers eyes on her. _"Tears, my daughter? Tears are not to be tolerated." _He turned on her, claws extended, eyes bleeding red. She backed away, terrified. _"No father! No!" _She felt her own beast begging to be released. Begging to defend their life. She fought to hold it back. She couldn't kill her father. He was a despicable creature, but she could not kill him.

Her back met with the solid force of a stone wall, and still her father bore down on her. She shrank back, sinking until she was nearly laying on the floor, praying it would swallow her whole. Her father leaned over her, sadism shining bright in his eyes. _"I will teach you to stay strong and never cry."_ His arm went back, and Fuyuko cried out in shock as her beast broke free. She watched with petrified eyes as her hand gripped her fathers throat.

She heard a woman scream. She blinked. Her father was gone, replaced by a silver-haired Hanyou who was growling and clawing at her arm to gain freedom. Her beast howled with rage. **Who is this fool to challenge us?!**

She raised to her full height, keeping the hanyou held high above her head. **We will kill him. We will kill him for trying to hurt us. **

Fuyuko cringed at that thought, and pushed against the force of her beast. Her beast ignored her, intent on killing, intent on defense. A womans voice broke into the silence, and her eyes whipped away from the Hanyou's face to see where the voice was coming from. A human woman in the oddest clothing she'd ever laid eyes on was standing a few yards away, screaming for her to let the man go. **Who is this female that she defends the whelps life? Is she his mate?**

"Please put him down! You'll kill him!" the words came through loud and clear, and Fuyuko struggled to push down her beast once more. She didn't want to kill anyone. She couldn't be like...him.

She felt her beast relent slightly, before she heard a familiar voice cry out. "No!" her eyes darted to find a young human child running towards her. _Rin._

As the young girl latched herself onto Fuyuko's legs, she began rambling. **A pup?** The beast questioned.

_A pup. She trusts us. _Fuyuko ademnified.

**Can't hurt a pup...**The beast fought with itself for a moment before relenting entirely, letting Fuyuko take control. She nearly sighed in relief when she blinked to find that her eyes were her own, and her limbs were under control. She dropped the hanyou to the ground and stroked absent fingers through Rins hair. Her beast rumbled with satisfaction. **Our pup?** The question took Fuyuko off gaurd.

"I knew you wouldn't hurt him, Fuyuko-san." Rins bright smile was contagious, so Fuyuko returned it.

"Thank you little one."

"Rin." The deep voice shocked her into looking up. It belonged to a very tall, very handsome, very angry looking youkai that she knew was none other than Lord Sesshomaru.

She watched as Rin ran towards the demon, apologizing, and answered her beast with surety. _No, not our pup._

She met Sesshomaru's eyes and found she couldn't look away.

If she was going to be perfectly honest with herself, Fuyuko would admit that she was terrified. Petrified even.

Here she was, facing a demon who was probably—no, scratch that, _definitely_—fifteen times stronger than her, he was pissed off, and she was looking him in the eye, blatantly challenging him? Had she lost her mind?

If she was going to continue being perfectly honest with herself, Fuyuko would admit that, yes, in a way, she had.

She was still reeling from the poison that the scorpion demon had injected into her system, she felt like she was going to puke because she could feel all of her insides putting themselves back together, and, quite frankly, she just didn't hold her life in very high regards anymore. Death by Youkai Lord? Why not.

Sesshomaru growled a warning to her, and she finally snapped out of it, averting her gaze and turning her head so that her shoulder and neck were bared to him. _Be submissive, be submissive, be submissive,_ she chanted the mantra silently to herself. A mere moment of silence passed before an annoyed voice broke the moment. "Oi! You!"

Fuyuko blinked and looked towards the voice. The hanyou she had not too recently been holding in a death grip was glaring at her with all the intensity of a tsunami. "Yeah, you! Why don't you fight me like a real demon, instead'a usin' cheap tricks like that?!"

The woman in the strange clothing ran forward and pulled on the hanyous arm. "InuYasha, I don't think you want to..."

"Yes I do want to! She's pissed me off now!" the hanyou shook her off.

Fuyuko blinked. "InuYasha, is it?"

"Yeah, not that it's any of your business!" Fuyuko cocked an eyebrow at him.

"Well, InuYasha-san, I do feel I owe you an apology. I should have been able to control my beast more readily. Please accept my apologies, I do not wish to fight you." She bowed only slightly at the waist, showing only as much respect as she had to.

This took the hanyou off gaurd. "Well...what? You...nuh-uh! We're fighting, and that's that!"

The strange woman rubbed her forhead before solemnly, and almost apologetically, declaring, "SIT!"

Fuyuko jumped slightly when the one named InuYasha disappeared into the ground. What trickery is this? "Um, he accepts your apology, and apologizes himself for being so rude to you." The woman bowed respectfully and Fuyuko nodded to her, and she took this as a sign to continue. "Um, my names Kagome Higurashi. And this is Sango, Miroku, Shippo, and Kirara. We are pleased to make your acquaintance Lady...?"

Fuyuko blinked as InuYasha began pulling himself out of the crater he'd been bowled into. "Fuyuko. But I am no Lady, so please do not address me as such."

Kagome nodded hastily, "Naturally, Fuyuko-sama."

Within an instant InuYasha was on his feet. "DON'T TALK TO HER WITH SUCH RESPECT!!!"

Kagome turned a harsh eye on him, "She apologized nicely! You should be grateful she spared your life and is willing to apologize!"

InuYasha opened his mouth to speak but was quickly cut off by Kagome. "SIT! Sit, sit, sit, sit, sit, sit, sit, sit, SIIIIIIT!"

Fuyuko took a cautious step away from the angry female, deciding that if the human (who she could now tell was a miko) was able to cause such affliction using only one word, she had best herself be careful not to anger her.

Sesshomaru, on the other hand, was unaffected, and as soon as Kagome paused for breath he walked right over InuYasha, using him as a walking pad with Rin and Jaken following directly behind. "Hn. This Sesshomaru cannot believe you are so weak InuYasha. Beaten by two women in a matter of moments. Disappointing."

Rin stopped and waved to Fuyuko, "Bye Fuyuko-san! Thanks for helping me and Sesshomaru-sama!"

Jaken rounded on her, "Lord Sesshomaru needs no help from anyone, foolish girl! He was the one helping her, not the other way around!"

Rin ignored him entirely, turning to Kagome instead, "Bye Kagome Lady!"

Just as the group was disappearing into the trees, Kagome snapped to, remembering just what she was supposed to be accomplishing. "Wait! Sesshomaru!" she ran forward.

Everyone blinked after her in shock, and only Shippo spoke up, "Are you NUTS 'Gome?! You're chasing after the ice king?!"

Kagome ignored him entirely, instead bravely grabbing onto the sleeve of Sesshomaru's kimono, "Sesshomaru, please, we need your help!"

"NO WE DON'T!" InuYasha shouted as he peeled himself from the ground. She ignored him as well.

"C'mon, Sesshomaru. None of us can kill Naraku alone. You know that, you're not stupid. We need all the help we can get." Kagome explained softly. She winced and quickly pulled back when Sesshomaru glared at the hand she was using to hold onto his sleeve. "Sorry."

"This Sesshomaru sees no use in becoming allies with simple humans."

Kagome huffed, "This particular human knows where Naraku _is _your lordship. Do you have any clue?"

"Hn."

"I'll take that as a no. C'mon, Sesshomaru. At least be a better guy than your brother, and admit that you need help."

"OI!" InuYasha was affronted, but once again he was ignored.

Sesshomaru tilted his head slightly, as if considering the miko's words, but then continued to walk into the forest as if nothing had been said. Kagome floundered for words, anything to get him to stay. _Oh come on Kagome! You promised Kaede!_ A lightbulb went off in her head suddenly. "Oh, fine. I get it. You're just _scared._"

Sesshomaru froze in place and turned to face the human. The headlines were in Kagomes head _"Teen Girl Found In Bottom Of Well, Body Mutilated By Wild Animal"_, _"School Girl Ripped To Shreds: Wildcat Responsible?"_

She gulped, "You're too much of a coward to help us. Yeah, I should've known better than to ask you. We'll be getting Koga's help anyways, so we don't really need..." she jumped when the youkai appeared right in front of her.

"That wolf brained idiot? This Sesshomaru thinks you need more help than you admit. I will travel with you." With that he finished the conversation, and was off sitting on a nearby rock before anyone could say elsewise. _Just like Sesshomaru to make it sound like it was his idea..._Kagome thought scornfully to herself.

Rin was bouncing up and down in front of her. "Yay! Kagome Lady will get to play with Rin every day now!"

Kagome smiled brightly at the child. "Yes, we'll play alot now. Shippo can play with you too." Rin cheered and went running across the clearing to her kitsune friend.

"I hate to inquire into your personal business..." Fuyuko spoke up, before being interrupted by InuYasha.

"Then don't, woman!"

Everyone ignored him as she continued, "...but did you say you were after Naraku?"

"Yes, we are out to kill him, and rid the world of his evil presence!" Kagome put her hands on her hips, feeling very proud and self-confident after getting Sesshomaru the ice-cube to agree to help them.

"Then I will travel with you as well." A dark look passed over the demoness' face.

"Ah, so you have a quarrel with the bastard as well, fair lady?" Miroku inched closer to her, ignoring Sango's glares that warned of a slow, painful, and bloody death. InuYasha pulled Kagome off to the side and started arguing with her, his arms waving about as he gestured violently. Kagome had to explain to him of Kaede's simple plan while everyone else was otherwise occupied.

"I do have a quarrel with him, but my business is my own..." Fuyuko eyed him up and down curiously before glancing over his shoulder at the fuming Sango. "Monk, your mate is looking upset with you."

"My mate?" Miroku spun around to see Sango flushing with embarressment.

"I'm not his mate!" the demon slayer cried.

Miroku sighed and shrugged to Fuyuko, "Not that I haven't tried."

Hiraikotsu met with the monks head sharply, "Pervert!"

Fuyuko cocked her head to the side, watching the two argue. She looked briefly at the pouting hanyou who had his back turned to the group while mumbling obscenities under his breath, then turned to Kagome, eyeing her unusual uniform once again before asking, "Is there not one in your pack who is normal?"

Kagome blushed and chuckled nervously, "Well..."

"I'm normal!" Shippo was sitting at the demoness' feet, and when she looked down she had to smile. The little kitsune was allowing Rin to thread bright flowers into his hair and tail.

"So I see, little cub."

"Wait until you meet Koga...and Kikyo." Kagome winced. "Things get worse."

Fuyuko smiled softly at the young human, "You need not be ashamed, miko. You have a pack. That is what counts."

Kagome blinked, "Oh...I...you're right, I guess."

"Oi! If we're gonna be travelling with these...people..." InuYasha glared at the back of his brothers head, "We should be going. We apparently have to find Koga and Kikyo now, and who knows how long that will take." He sniffed, crouching on the ground so Kagome could climb on his back.

Everyone prepared to move, even Rin and Shippo climbed on to Ah-Un's back with Jaken (much to the imps dismay, he found it bad enough to babysit one child, two was just a headache waiting to happen). Without question, Fuyuko followed keeping close to InuYasha (whose method of travel she found quite unusual. Did the hanyou so badly wish to fly that he had to jump to get the effect of it?) and keeping an eye on the two headed dragon that carried the precious cargo of the children.

Her beast hadn't shut up about them since they'd left the clearing. It was cub-this and cub-that, keep an eye on the cubs, don't let the cubs fall. She was quite ready to go insane at this rate.

So she kept an eye on the sun, counting the hours until it would set and they would make camp for the night. Maybe when the children had their feet on the ground her beast would choose to shut up.

///

It was high noon, Fuyuko noted. The argument had been going on in front of her for an hour.

Everyone but Kirara, Ah-Un, the children and herself were in on it. "I'm telling you, we should get Kikyo first! It'll be more handy to have two priestesses on hand than a bunch of dumb wolves!"

"You just want her here 'cause you like her better than me! SIT BOY!"

Whump!

_Fifty-two._ Fuyuko snorted to herself. How many sit's could the hanyou take before giving in to the little miko?

Her eyes were diverted from the fight when Rin brought her a wreath of moss and flowering vines. "I made a crown for you Fuyuko-san!"

"Why thank you Rin." The demoness bowed her head so the child could put the crown on. She blinked and almost laughed when she saw little Shippo a short distance away. Rin had apparently not stopped putting flowers and vines and all manner of vegetation in the kitsunes hair and tail.

He looked as though he was a forest nymph.

Foomp! Fuyuko looked down to find a very passed out Jaken at her feet. Apparently someone had kicked him. She glanced back at the argument. It really was a toss up as to who it was this time though. She sighed and picked the little imp up, dusting him off and resting him in her lap.

"Ooh! I should make a necklace for Jaken-sama!" little Rin was off gathering more vegetation.

Fuyuko muttered an apology to the unconscious imp. He may wake up to find himself completely buried in woodland flowers and vines, and that probably wouldn't please him greatly.

"You ~sit~ are ~sit~ a big ~sit~ JERK! SIT SIT SIT SIT SIT!"

_Sixty._ Fuyuko blinked. If nothing else, the hanyou was persistent.

She glanced at all the InuYasha shaped craters around the immediate vicinity.

Persistent and foolish.

///

The group had finally started moving again. Kagome had threatened to subdue InuYasha to the molten core of the earth. Everyone had stared at her blankly for a moment before she corrected that it would be the seventh ring of hell she'd subdue him to. And now, though they were going in search of Koga, InuYasha was refusing to expidite the process by carrying Kagome, and in fact insisted that everyone walk. Sesshomaru, just to be contradictory, was riding Ah-Un with Rin and Shippo.

Jaken had shockingly sealed himself to Fuyuko's side after he'd awoken in her lap to find that she'd defended him from Rin's flowery gifts, and was giving his utmost attention to showering her with gratitude by stabbing Miroku's foot with his staff whenever he wandered too close to her.

Kagome was also walking with Fuyuko in what she discovered to be a surprisingly comfortable silence. Somehow Kagome felt at ease with the demoness, though she'd just barely met her.

She glanced at the woman now, wondering how on earth her hair could stay so pristine even as long as it was. The miko envied demons more and more every day for their remarkable good looks. And Kagome had to admit... Fuyuko _was_ pretty. Remarkably so, if Miroku's constant attempts to walk next to her were any measuring stick. The demoness had a porcelain quality to her, with skin that was as pale as the face paint most women wore to make themselves 'beautiful'. Her eyes were piercing, but not in a terrifying way, not like Sesshomaru's. Rather, they were piercing in a "I get what you're feeling, and you can trust me" sort of way.

"Is there something troubling you, Miko?" Fuyuko's soft voice snapped Kagome out of her thoughts.

"No, nothings troubling me. Why?"

Fuyuko glanced over at her. "You are staring. Am I making you uneasy?"

Kagome almost tripped over herself, "Oh! No, no, I didn't mean to stare! Forgive me! It's just...you're so..." she struggled for the right words, not wanting to offend her. "Well, beautiful."

Fuyuko's mouth twitched into a small small. "Thank you, Miko. You are quite attractive as well. Your pack leader is certainly enamoured with you."

Kagome coughed, "Yasha?! Oh no, he just likes me because I look like his dead girlfriend."

Fuyuko raised an eyebrow. "Girl...friend?"

Kagome blinked, then mentally berated herself. _They don't call their partners that in this time, stupid!_

"Uh...yeah. I mean, his...dead...erm...love. Yeah, dead love. Deceased...female...love...Person." she wanted to bang her head against a tree. So much for impressing the graceful youkai. _She probably __thinks I'm retarted now_...

Fuyuko didn't pay any mind to her young companions blundering, however, and simply began to speak once more. "Tell me, then, about InuYasha's dead lover. Tell me why you think that she is still the one your alpha sees, when you are the one standing before him."

Kagome blinked a few times, unsure of what to say. "Well...it's a bit of a long story."

Fuyuko appraised her with a wry look, "I believe we have time, Miko."

Kagome couldn't help but smile. "I suppose you're right. Well, you see, Kikyo died over fifty years ago, but before she died she..." Kagome glanced at Fuyuko, quite unsure as to how the woman would take the story, "Um, she sealed InuYasha to a tree. Because she thought he was becoming this evil person, when he wasn't. And anyway, it was Naraku that tricked her...but after that...Um...err...I'm...eh...her reincarnation." Kagome paused, and stared in an almost frightened fashion at the demoness, waiting for an adverse reaction.

"I see. So this is how you met, no? InuYasha believed you were his dead beloved?" Fuyuko gently pressed.

Kagome blinked, "Yeah, long story short. That same day he was bound to me by the rosary beads he wears." She smiled sheepishly, "That's the whole...um, S-I-T business."

Fuyuko nodded, "I assumed it was something like that. And now that you are traveling together...Well what makes you believe that InuYasha does not appreciate you for you?"

Kagome bristled, "Well, for starters, he's always comparing us. Always 'Kikyo would never' this, and 'Kikyo would've' that. And I do apparently smell and look just like her. I just don't act like her, which is obviously why he still wants to go find her first, so he can be together with the better half of me." she pouted, and Fuyuko blinked, putting the dots together. Kikyo-Miko-InuYasha's dead lover.

"But she's...dead, did you not say?"

Kagome coughed, "Oh yeah, forgot to mention that...she sort've...got...brought back to life."

This appeased Fuyuko, who took it in stride as if reincarnations and ressurections were every day occurances. Then, Kagome reminded herself, in Sengoku Jedai, they really kind of were. "So this is why InuYasha and this Kikyo woman wish to see Naraku fall. What of yourself, and those others in the group?"

Kagome took a deep breath, "Well, Miroku has a cursed hand, to make that a short story. Sango's little brother, Kohaku, has been made Naraku's slave, and Shippo's family died by his hand. I...well, my story is complicated, and twisted, and kinda not something InuYasha would want me to tell you so soon. Needless to say, I've got the destiny of the world on my shoulders..." _Everything that is and ever will be_, Kagome thought. _Even myself_.

Fuyuko nodded her understanding before turning an eye to Ah-Un. "What of Lord Sesshomaru?"

Kagome really stumbled there. "Eh...urr...well, he's Sesshomaru. He likes killing things. And being the strongest, baddest, kick-assest, ice demon there is in existence. All I know is Naraku totally humiliated him and wounded his huge ego, and that's a no-no if you wanna stay on his 'not annoying enough to be killed' list." Kagome almost laughed. When the miko looked back at her companion, she saw that the demoness' eyes were clouded over as if she was sleep walking. She tentatively waved a hand in front of the womans face, "Fuyuko-sama? Hello in there?" But she was entirely ignored as Fuyuko was someplace far away from the forest, and far back in time...

///

..._**He likes killing things**_..._the words seemed to echo as Fuyuko looked out over the vast mountainous terrain of Northern Japan. She blinked, seeing the land soaked in white, covered in a thick film of white snow as far as her keen eyes could see. This had been her home. This was were she was born. This was were she was raised. The northern lands, the lands of ice, winter, and snow._

_And under her feet the snow was a ripe red. She wanted to cry, but the frigid air froze all tears that tried to surface. Perhaps it was best._

_She braved a look behind her at the bloodied field, the bodies of innocent human villagers strewn about in pieces, some even still breathing, though barely. They would freeze as soon as the sun set. And she couldn't help them._

_If she did..._

_She looked past the bodies, to the silhouette of the man she was made to call father._

_Kami, the blood of these poor people was on her hands just as much as if it had been her that had mutilated them and brought their blood to pour. Every time she watched it all happen, every time she stood by as the defenseless and guileless souls were brought pain and death. It wasn't always humans, no. Sometimes lesser demons. Sometimes imps, or kappas, or dragons. She started to walk across the field of battle now, avoiding bodies and limbs as she stepped._

_Slaughter. Murder. Blood. Chaos. She stepped over the body of a young child, no more than seven._

_Death._

_Her father hated, and it brought death. She came to stand next to the man now. No, she vowed. She'd never become like him. Never in a thousand lifetimes._

///

Fuyuko blinked when Kagome called out her name a third time. "I'm sorry, Miko. What did you say?"

"I was just wondering if you were okay. You spaced out there..."

"Ah yes, I was taken into memory. Forgive me." Fuyuko kept her eyes trained on the way ahead of them.

Kagome took this as a signal that the conversation was over, and so went silent, wondering what she'd said wrong. For another few hours they marched onward, through woods, across clearings, and all in relative silence. It wasn't until the sun was already halfway set that InuYasha had the group stop for camp.

Or, at least, that's what he told himself.

Fact was that everyone else just stopped and started setting up camp while he kept walking. It took him ten minutes to realize he was walking alone.

Once a fire was started, and dinner was cooking, Kagome stood up. "I'm ready for a bath, whose with me?"

Sango stood up, setting Kirara on the ground next to her, "I'm in on that."

"Oh, Rin wants a bath too! Can I Sesshomaru-sama?!" Rin bounced up and down excitedly in front of the demon lord.

"Very well Rin."

"Yay! Fuyuko-san! You should come too!" Rin grabbed onto the demoness' hand and tugged her to follow the group.

"I suppose. I do still smell of scorpion." Fuyuko agreed monotonely.

As the group started walking in the direction of the spring they had passed, Sango shouted back, "Kirara, make sure none of the men follow us..._Miroku._"

The monk gasped, "You wound me, dearest, fairest Sango! To think that you believe me to be so low as to..."

"Oh save it, monk, they're already gone." InuYasha scoffed.

"Stupid Miroku." Shippo sniffed.

"Coming from the kid who usually bathes with them?" InuYasha thumped the kitsune over the head.

Shippo wailed, "InuYasha, why are you so mean to me?!"

Meanwhile, the women had reached the hotspring, and were already undressing and eagerly running into the refreshing water. Fuyuko was the last to get in, as she was eyeing the gaping hole in her kimono with distain. She had done her best to keep the hole closed all day long, but she would have to mend it soon if she expected the cloth to be of use for much longer. Question was, what would she wear while she mended it? She glanced scornfully at Sango's armor, and then warily at the priestess' unusual attire. Maybe she could convince the monk to loan her his robes for an afternoon...though that may anger the lovely demon slayer who obviously cared for him.

Fuyuko figured she'd have to take her chances.

While the demoness was appraising her clothing, Kagome was looking on with a gaping jaw. She knew that there was no reason to compare humans to demons...but why couldn't _her _body look like Fuyuko's? And to think that the white haired woman was probably well over two-hundered.

Once everyone was situated comfortably on various rocks around the warm pool, Kagome eyed the surrounding area, and felt her stomach tighten slightly. It was so densely wooded that any sort of creature could sneak up on them and catch them off-gaurd. She glanced at Sango, who was clearly just as worried about it. The two humans glanced at the bank where hiraikotsu lay. It was a long ways, considering.

Rin was completely unconcerned, however, and was bouncing and twirling about in the water with an incredible amount of zeal. Kagome had to wonder how anyone could maintain such energy and happiness when they spent all their time with the unemotional Sesshomaru.

Rin bounded over to Fuyuko and practically leapt into the womans lap. "Fuyuko-san! Play with me! Lets have a water fight!"

The demoness' lips twitched into a very delicate smile that was almost imperceptable. "Alright, little one."

Rin squealed with joy before clambering off her lap and splashing a palm full of water at her. Fuyuko returned the favor, though the wave of water she was able to create was nearly enough to drown the human girl, who deftly dodged the attack and went running to Kagome. "Kagome lady!"

"Yes Rin?" Kagome got a face full of water, and sputtered before laughing and splashing back at the child. Sango even joined in, and soon all of them were giggling and enjoying the peaceful moment animatedly (aside from Fuyuko, who only showed her amusement with soft smiles).

When Rin finally ran out of energy and collapsed onto the rock between Sango and Kagome, there was a moment of silence in which the three humans caught their breath, and Fuyuko relaxed entirely, letting her head rest on the rocky bank behind her.

Then, in an imperceptable flash of movement and a whirl of white hair, Fuyuko was standing, turned away from them, and growling at the forest. Sango and Kagome didn't hesitate in grabbing Rin and rushing to the shore, expecting the worst. Kagome was shocked at how quickly they got dressed, and Sango had hiraikotsu in her hand, ready to defend and fight. "Go back to the camp. I'll be right behind you." Fuyuko growled, slowly edging towards the shore, keeping her eyes constantly on the forest in front of her. Kagome stared at her in shock for a moment, her mind asking a million questions, but she didn't doubt that Fuyuko was completely serious. Even naked and wet, with only her long hair covering her body, she looked dangerous.

Kagome didn't know why, but her first thought was to the womans decency. She reached out and grabbed Fuyuko's white haori, tossing it towards the demoness, who caught it in the air without looking. Fuyuko pulled the cloth over herself deftly, "Thank you Miko. Now go."

Kagome came back to the moment, and she started to move to follow Sango and Rin when a strangely familiar cloud of dust appeared on the rocky outcropping seperating the springs from the land. As the dust started to clear, Kagome gasped. "Koga!"

And in the blink of an eye, Fuyuko was at the wolf demons throat. Koga's shock was apparent, as he didn't even dodge the attack, and fell backwards into a bush. The inu-demoness was coiling to pounce on him while he was still down, her fangs bared, growling threateningly. Kagome was frozen in shock. _What am I supposed to do?_

///

**Dun dun dun! The plot thickens. Or, at least...yeah, whatever. Haha, more reviews please! I appreciate you guys that reviewed last time, you totally made writing that first chapter worth it. And I hope this chapter was worth the wait! *blows kisses* Take care, and keep shipping!!!**

**-Mistress Twilit**


	3. Unsturdy Alliances

_**Disclaimer-**__No, I own none of InuYasha, Sesshomaru, Kagome, etc. etc. etc. etc. I am making no money here, and the only thing in this story that is remotely mine is Fuyuko, and she even is barely under my control, a'ight?_

**Hello folks! Yeah, sorry for the amazingly uber-long wait for this chapter! D= I had it nearly finished quite some time ago, and then I got sick, and then NaNoWriMo kicked my ass, and then I got sick again and...well anyway, here it is, at long last. I hope against all hope that no update of mine will take so long ever again :)**

**Monkeyheart-**Thanks hun! Updating as fast as my muse allows, I promise!!! Thanks ever so for reading and reviewing =)

**Gnarley-**Thanks luv!!! I'm still writing, don't plan on stopping any time soon. At least as long as my muse stays with me, haha. It helps to know that people are liking this =)

**Shanaye-**I know just whatyou mean, I hate waiting for updates on stories =) And oh lord, yes. I got excited halfway through and totally F*ed the grammar and spelling XD Thanks for pointing that one out though, wouldn't have noticed it otherwise amongst all the others. Thanks muchly!

**Katsushika-**Thanks & You're welcome! The long chapters may end up killing me, but they are good for the soul, lol. *Big Grin* Don't worry, the fights are coming soon. VERY soon. So soon you may even get a taste in this chapter =D Things can't always be smooth sailing, someones toes are gonna be stepped on sooner or later...especially with this crew *eyeroll*

_**-Last Time-**_

_As the dust started to clear, Kagome gasped. "Koga!"_

_And in the blink of an eye, Fuyuko was at the wolf demons throat. Koga's shock was apparent, as he didn't even dodge the attack, and fell backwards into a bush. The inu-demoness was coiling to pounce on him while he was still down, her fangs bared, growling threateningly. Kagome was frozen in shock. 'What am I supposed to do?'_

///

Fuyuko had a clawed hand around Koga's ankle, pulling the still stunned wolf out of the bush he'd fallen into.

Kagome's mouth opened and closed uselessly a few times before her vocal chords finally chose to cooperate with her. "No! Fuyuko-sama! He's a friend! Don't eat him!"

Fuyuko turned her head and blinked at the screaming miko. Kagome realized how stupid her protest had to sound. _Eat him, Kagome? Yes, because Fuyuko is a cannibal, obviously._

Then Koga's foot came up and clocked Fuyuko in the chin, sending her backwards into the hot spring. "Koga!" Kagome started forward, wondering briefly if inu-demons could swim.

"You said she was gonna eat me, I reacted." Koga stated matter-of-factly.

It was at that moment that InuYasha and Sesshomaru broke into the small clearing, instantly looking like they were ready to kill the wolf demon who was perching smugly on the rocky edge of the spring. Once Sesshomaru assessed that Rin was happy, healthy, and unaffected, he instantly turned a disinterested cheek to the whole situation.

Koga, however, noticed Sesshomaru's presence and nearly fell into the water himself from shock. "Woah! What's he doing with you guys? I am seeing him, right? It's not all the sake I had last night doing things to me?"

This kept him distracted as a very put-out Fuyuko re-emerged from the water, glaring up at him. While he had his attention turned away, she bounced up and grabbed one of his thighs, sinking her claws in to throw him off balance. As he toppled towards the water, she used him as a stepping stool to gracefully hop onto the dry bank before shaking excess water off of herself. "Stupid wolf." She sniffed, wringing out her hair.

InuYasha nearly died laughing as Koga floundered his way to the surface, sputtering. Even Kagome had to admit that the proud wolf looked positively hilarious dripping wet from head to toe. He looked more like a soppy puppy than a dangerous demon. Rin started giggling as well. "Good job, Fuyuko-san! I like this water fight even better!"

Koga was the only one there that didn't find it at all amusing, "I'll get you for that, bitch!"

Fuyuko's milky eyes flicked briefly in the wet mans direction before she made her way towards the rest of the group. "I look forward to seeing you try." She hummed dismissively, while picking up the rest of her kimono and putting it on layer by layer. She did resent the tear in the fabric more at that moment than ever. She'd definitely have to borrow the monks robes this evening.

Koga trudged to stand in front of Kagome, eyeing her curiously. "How is it that every time I see you, you are in worse and worse company, fair Kagome?"

InuYasha growled a low warning at the hidden jab, and at the fact that the wolf was standing unnecessarily close to the teenage girl. Koga shot a look at the hanyou, and growled in return. Kagome instantly insinuated herself between them, holding out her hands and shaking her head at both of them. "Not now. We're supposed to be getting along, _remember_?" She gave InuYasha a pointed look, which he scowled at before flattening his ears against his head and looking away from her.

When InuYasha seemed ready to give up the fight (for the moment, at least) Kagome turned her attention back to Koga. "It's lucky you came. We were coming to look for you."

Koga grinned at this and took Kagome's hands in his own. "Is that so, my lady?"

Kagome flushed and stumbled over her words. "It's...we...well...we need your help."

"Feh." InuYasha wrinkled his nose at the idea.

Ignoring him once again, Kagome pressed on. "See, Sesshomaru is already traveling with us. And so's Fuyuko."

"Fuyu-who?" Koga raised an eyebrow.

"The one who pushed you into the hotspring..." Kagome motioned to the white haired woman who was busy wrapping her hair into a knot at the base of her skull. Koga made a face at her, but nodded his recognition.

"And the point is that there is strength in numbers, right? None of us can beat Naraku on our own, but together we stand a chance!" Kagome pulled a bright smile and watched as Koga stared back at her silently, his face a blank card.

"You want me...to join forces with dog breath?" Koga's eyebrow twitched in agitation.

InuYasha spun on him then, "Oi! It's not like I want to be associating with you, wolf brain! But this isn't about us, it's about everybody else, and kicking Naraku's sorry ass!"

Kagome stared in awe and respect at her half-demon companion. "Wow, Yasha...that's so...noble of you." She murmered.

"Feh. Whatever. Keep your friends close and your enemies closer. Damn wolf."

"Stupid dog."

The two men growled at each other over Kagome's head, and the miko felt all her recent hope fade away in the blink of an eye. _So much for keeping the peace and being the better man for either of them._

"I hope this means that we're going to work together? Can we get back to camp now?" Sango interjected into the terse moment, one eyebrow raised and her arms crossed over her chest. InuYasha only harumphed before stalking past everyone and back towards camp, and Koga sniffed indignantly while wringing water from his hair.

"Whatever. If the mutt is going to cooperate, I will."

Kagome sighed, content that no one was going to be eating anyone else alive for awhile now. She followed Sango as the slayer turned back towards camp, and saw Fuyuko fall into step behind them, with Rin only half a step behind her. At a sudden growl, Kagome and Sango whipped around, seeing Sesshomaru facing off with Koga, who had apparantly gotten too close to Rin for Sesshomaru's liking.

Koga was glaring at the silver haired demon with no fear, baring his fangs in defiance and taking on a defensive stance, ready to fight. Kagome felt herself starting to panic. _This isn't good, not good at all_. She thought to herself as the face off continued. She had no control over either of these powerful and stubborn demons, any impending fight was inevitable and she wouldn't be able to stop it.

Fuyuko seemed nearly unaffected by the angered men behind her, and only showed a half interest by watching them from the corner of her eye while moving Rin behind herself and away from the demons. Sango cast a worried glance at Kagome while keeping a steady hand on Hiraikotsu. Kagome returned the worried look, pulling Rin behind herself as well. Fuyuko's milky eyes moved away from the demons behind her, and she divided a calm look between the two human women. "Keep walking." She stated, her voice smooth and monotone.

Neither woman questioned her, and they turned and worked down the short trail back to camp. A few unsure glances behind assured Kagome that both demons were following as well, though they were both obviously still squaring off for battle. Breaking into the clearing where they had set up camp, Kagome kept one eye on Sesshomaru while the other followed Koga. They separated and avoided contact with one another, but their youki energies were still flaring at one another in their tension.

While Kagome was otherwise focused, Fuyuko came to stand behind her. "It is only natural, Miko. They are two male demons who are in one anothers territory. If you expected this to be easy, you're too much of an optimist."

Letting her shoulders slump, Kagome looked back at the demoness with a soft pout around her mouth. "I'm a human woman. I don't get all of this demon posturing and testosterone powered territorial nonsense. You won't let them eat each other, will you?"

Fuyuko raised an eyebrow into an eloquent arch. "Why do you always assume that we demons are out to consume each other like dinner?"

Kagome blushed furiously. "I didn't mean it like that. I meant it like...you know, going at eachothers throats. Rawr, attack, kill, mean, vicious stuff. Not like they'd actually _eat _each other. They are obviously not cannibalistic." Smiling sheepishly, Kagome scratched at her head, shifting her weight side to side uneasily.

"I see. Then in that case, I will do my best. Though I warn you, my methods of preventing 'rawr, attack, kill, mean, vicious stuff' will seem a bit unorthodox to you." Fuyuko moved her gaze away to examine Koga, who was leaning up against a tree at the edge of the clearing, looking pensive.

"Unorthodox, frightening, creepy, whatever. As long as there is not too much turmoil and inner-group bloodshed, I'm good with it." Kagome smiled appreciatively at her demoness companion. "Thank you, Fuyuko-sama." Fuyuko nodded silently before moving away and taking her place at the edge of the ring.

They shared a tense and silent meal that night, with everyones eyes focused on each other instead of the food they ate in a hurry. No one seemed sure when someone else was going to leap up and declare war on everyone else and a full-fledged blood bath would ensue. It was only with the greatest reluctance, and with the knowledge that InuYasha was sitting in the tree right over her head, that Kagome began to fall asleep in her warm bedroll.

Her tired brown eyes scanned the group around her, taking note that Rin and Shippo had already fallen asleep between Ah-Un and Kirara, while Jaken had passed out in the five foot space separating Fuyuko and Sesshomaru, who were both staring off into space and looking like marble statues. Kagome giggled inwardly at the thought. It was no wonder Jaken had become attached to Fuyuko, the demoness was a near mirror image to the imp's Lord and Master, aside from tell-tale feminine features, and a much softer and more understanding gaze. Jaken probably felt enamored with the demoness who was just as distant and stone featured as Sesshomaru, but much less abusive and more gentle.

Kagome's last thoughts before falling into sleep were of the idea that Jaken could possibly manage to have romantic feelings for someone. It was an odd but amusing idea.

///

In the morning, Kagome awoke to find nothing out of the ordinary, aside from their newest companions. Miroku was cooking breakfast over the fire, Rin and Shippo were playing tag, Ah-Un and Kirara were grooming each other, and InuYasha was sulking in a tree.

Yeah. Normal.

With a stretch and a yawn, the Miko sat up in her bedroll, wiping the sleep from her eyes and welcoming the bright dawn with a happy face. No one had gotten violent while she was sleeping! She blinked and paused in her thought, glancing around the silent group. She surreptitiously checked for bleeding wounds, broken limbs, or missing eyes.

When her mind gave her the all clear, she sighed contentedly. Nope. No violence.

But the morning was still young.

As they ate breakfast, everyone remained silent. Kagome noticed that Sango and Miroku had separated themselves slightly from the group, out of the normal circle. The monk and slayer seemed nervous somehow of joining the circle that was now nearly full of demons.

Kagome felt slightly bad at this realization. What if all these changes took the group apart in different ways than she had expected? What if it didn't fall apart in blood and anger, but in distrust and fear?

Discouraged, she dumped the remnants of her breakfast into the fire before turning and making to roll up her bed roll and pack up her bag. Rin and Shippo appeared on either side of her and eagerly began to help, all the while chattering animatedly about everything that came to their young minds.

While listening to Rin chatter about the time that Jaken tripped over a root and fell into a venus fly trap, a shadow appeared over Kagome's bag, and she looked up to see Koga staring down at her. "Good morning, Kagome." His smirk was self-confident and bright.

Kagome gulped and eyeballed the distance between him and Rin, glancing over her shoulder at Sesshomaru, who had his back turned. "Morning Koga."

"Can I help?" The wolf demon crouched in front of her and sniffed at the over stuffed back-back she so treasured.

"Well I don't..." Kagome started, but Rin interrupted her.

"Yeah, there's that!" The young human pointed to a cooking pan arms length behind Koga. "You can reach it, and we don't have to move!" She graced the ookami with her bright smile, and he nodded shortly, reaching backwards and retrieving the pan by its handle, holding it out for Kagome to take.

The miko gulped nervously, but accepted it, and quickly stuffed it inside the bag with everything else. Koga didn't seem ready to walk away yet, however, and sniffed curiously at Rin before speaking again. "Anything else I can reach for you?"

Rin pursed her lips and tapped her chin, looking around the campsite contemplatively before shaking her head. "I don't see anything else. I think Kagome Lady's bag is all packed now!" Koga nodded and stood up, ready to turn and walk away. "Thanks Koga-san!" Rin beamed up at him, getting up and bowing respectfully to the wolf.

Koga raised his eyebrows at the child, and moved away. Kagome released a breath she didn't realise she had been holding, sparing another glance over her shoulder at Sesshomaru, who still had his back turned. That was close.

More minutes passed, and once the fire was overturned, everything was picked up or discarded, and the group was ready to move, they pressed on, moving back the way they had come, retracing their steps on the way back to where they had last sensed Kikyo.

Everything was going so well, until Rin and Shippo started playing tag again. Shippo was it, and Rin was running for it as fast as she could, zipping around everyones feet, Shippo hot on her heels. On one pass, she wasn't paying attention to the ground beneath her feet, and one raised root on the path was enough to trip her up as she was passing Koga.

Instinctively, the ookami reached out and grabbed the childs arm before she hit the ground. Unintentionally grabbing too hard, he made Rin yelp in shock and pain, and before anyone could react, Sesshomaru was in Koga's face, roughly forcing the wolf to unhand his young ward, growling fiercely and letting his eyes bleed red. Koga was not prepared to back down so easily, and growled right back, squaring his shoulders while coming nose to nose with the angered inu. Kagome almost yelled 'Sit' before she reminded herself that command would only work on InuYasha. The miko's pleading brown eyes found Fuyuko's milky cold orbs, asking silently for the demoness to live up to her word. _No bloodshed_. Kagome whined inwardly, feeling her heart sink by the second.

Two blinks of an eye later, and Fuyuko was moving forward, just as Sesshomaru was poised to rip into Koga with his poison claws. Kagome watched in stunned silence as the inu-demoness came up behind Koga and boxed him over one ear, growling louder than the two males combined. The ookami yelped and instinctively flinched away from the pain, effectively giving Sesshomaru the edge and opportunity to slice at his undefended belly. Another yelp from Koga made Kagome's stomach turn, but she could only watch as Fuyuko and Sesshomaru took turns boxing at the outnumbered and surrounded wolf, fangs bared, eyes red, and claws extended.

InuYasha had the opposite reaction, actually having the mind to laugh. Kagome glared at him, and he shrugged at her, his golden eyes impassive and uncaring. "Hey, the stuck up wolf brain is finally getting his come-uppance."

"He was only helping Rin!" Kagome cried, cupping her hands to her ears to block out the pitiful yelps and cries of Koga, whom had been brought to the ground and was unable to run or fight back except to bare his fangs and growl at his attackers, who only became more intent on his punishment the more he defied their beating.

After what seemed an eternity to Kagome, Koga finally had the good sense to tuck his tail and show submission to Sesshomaru and Fuyuko, who eased off slowly before leaving him alone entirely. Sesshomaru took Rin against his side, and the human girl was wise enough to not question him, remaining silent and keeping pace with him. Fuyuko fell into step one strides length behind Sesshomaru, Jaken instantly coming to her side as the group strode ahead in silence.

Kagome wasted no time in running to Koga's side, her eyes wide with worry and fear. Koga waved her off, wiping traces of blood from a row of cuts on his cheek. Kagome flinched—those were from Fuyuko's claws. "I'll be fine, dear Kagome. That was only a warning. A reminder of who the alpha is in this pack."

Blinking rapidly, Kagome looked up to InuYasha for confirmation. The hanyou shrugged at her. "What can I say. I don't qualify for Alpha position in any demons eyes. Now that you've invited big half-brother in, he's technically the...How'd you say it? Top dog? Yeah, he's the top dog. Fuyuko just proved it by taking his side there. Ice king is the technical demon leader here now."

Kagome frowned as Koga made it to his feet and began walking again. "So does this mean...what does this mean?"

Shippo bounced onto her backpack and sighed. "It's like this, Kagome. Sesshomaru is alpha, Fuyuko has just elected herself as his beta, and Koga just totally got demoted to the bottom of the food chain for messing with the alpha's pup."

"What about the rest of us?" Kagome muttered, falling into step with InuYasha as they made their way along, actually following Sesshomaru. It shocked Kagome that InuYasha wasn't volleying to get back to the front of the line, but she didn't say anything, worried that she might upset the current unsteady peace that had been set in the group.

"Feh, what about the rest of us? As far as Sesshomaru's concerned, we just exist. Until one of us tries something, we're barely a blip in the span of his superior existence." InuYasha folded his arms across his chest and glowered at the stiff back of his brother five paces ahead.

"So we're even beneath Koga on the food chain?" Kagome let her shoulders fall. That didn't make her feel too great about herself, not that she was sure what else she expected.

"I dunno about that. Miroku and Sango and you hunt and make alot of the food that we eat. In beast terms, that makes you valuable. You're just basic pack members, which is still above Koga, as he's crapped out on his luck."

"Shut up, kit, or I'll beat you and make _you _the bottom of the food chain here." Koga bared his fangs at the young demon, who whimpered and half hid behind Kagome's head.

Kagome wrinkled her nose. "Why can't demons think like humans?"

"Because we aren't." InuYasha stated matter-of-factly. "We're half immortal, half animal. There is no human." The fact that she hadn't thought of that made Kagome mentally face palm. On some days, _she_ sometimes even wondered about her intelligence.

After a moment of silence, InuYasha scoffed at the worried and crest fallen look on Kagome's face and took the opportunity to speak. "If it makes you feel any better Kag's, Fuyuko saved Koga's ass back there. By joining in and landing the first blow, she gave Sesshomaru's beast a second thought. Better to have a pack mate put into his place by the alpha and beta than to have a potential pack mate dead over a small descrepancy."

"Who says I woulda died?!" Koga huffed, cracking his knuckles and glaring at the hanyou in front of him.

InuYasha rolled his eyes. "Only a hope of mine, wolf. Of course, it would have been equally nice if you'd killed ice king up there, so I'm not taking sides just yet."

Kagome glared at InuYasha and Koga both before grumbling to herself and stalking ahead, falling into pace in the space between Sesshomaru's group and the rest of the gang. Shippo stayed silent where he sat on her shoulder, much preferring to stay out of the line of fire for the moment.

///

Fuyuko watched with solemn and worried eyes as Rin kept a silent and obedient pace at Sesshomaru's side. There had been a time when she had been in the human cubs position. She remembered well what it had been like as a young demon at her parents side, watching their violence and fighting to not let it become a part of herself.

Tilting her head Fuyuko glanced behind her at the rest of the unusual and slap-dash pack. Kagome was looking severely put-out, InuYasha seemed too amused to care, Sango and Miroku were lingering at the back and avoiding trouble with everyone else.

Koga was doing well, and nursing wounds that were quickly healing. She noted that the claw marks she'd left on his cheek had already faded away. By night fall he would be as good as new. Clenching her jaw and facing forward once more, she thanked the kami's for that. She knew that to everyone else it must seem that she was indifferent to the pain she'd caused the ookami, and she wished that she could at least express the truth to Kagome, who was no doubt angered about the choice of action Fuyuko had taken.

The truth was that Fuyuko desperately hated bloodshed and violence. She avoided it at all costs until self-preservation demanded it. Self-defense was the only logical and worthwhile reason that Fuyuko knew of to cause another living being any amount of pain.

She flicked her eyes to examine the stiff back of the youkai walking in front of her. _He likes killing things_. The miko's words to her echoed from the back of her mind, and she frowned inwardly. Why?

A disinterested part of her brain noticed that at mid-day they were passing through the same clearing where the group had argued on which direction to take. All of the InuYasha shaped craters were still scattered around the area, and it was with a certain degree of hidden amusement that Fuyuko nimbly hopped over the torso of one such crater.

The living being suddenly came leaping to the forfront, skidding to a halt in front of Sesshomaru, who raised an eyebrow at him before shouldering past him. Fuyuko raised an eyebrow at the hanyou as well, who only glared back at her before snapping at Sesshomaru's back. "Oi! Do you even have any idea where you're going, prick-for-brains?!"

"I assume that unless your dead woman has begun to smell like something other than mud and death, yes, I do. Mutt." Sesshomaru responded, never regarding his half-brother with a look.

InuYasha froze in his steps then, efficiently unable to think of a smart reply. Fuyuko nudged him gently with her nose as she passed him, a silent inu message of 'calm down before you embarress yourself, pup'. He growled at her in return, but she ignored it. 'Tempermental youngster' were the words that came to her mind.

Another interminable amount of silent minutes later, and Fuyuko saw Rin stretching and yawning, straining to keep herself awake. The demoness tilted her head and sniffed the air, suddenly realizing that somewhere during the night the dragon Ah-Un had apparantly left their group. Cautiously Fuyuko moved forward and bent over, gently scooping the child into her arms, all the while aware of steely golden eyes locked on her every movement. Keeping her eyes down, and shoulder bared to Sesshomaru in submission, she arranged the tired human in her arms until Rin became comfortable and relaxed, quickly falling into restful sleep.

Only when she felt the youkai's eyes move away from her did she relax and raise her eyes back to the road, releasing a breath that she wasn't entirely aware that she'd been holding. Since her father, she couldn't remember any single being that could make her more nervous than Sesshomaru.

Well, aside from one.

But that person didn't make her nervous, he made her sick. Terrified her. She ground her teeth together, remembering the reason she'd come out of the north country. Remembering the dark shadow she had followed from her homelands, and her burnt life, here, to the west, to this mismatched group of fighters...

///

"_Chin up already, Fuyuko. How many times must I remind you to look your best? Kami's, look at your hair. What did you brush it with, a thorn bush? I can't believe you are my child." Her mothers hands roughly brushed out the unruly knots from her hair before tugging it back into a tight tail at the back of her head and pinning it into some 'proper' fashion of waves and folds._

_Fuyuko felt like her scalp was on fire, and she felt a headache quickly coming on from how tightly her mother had tied her hair back, but she said nothing, keeping her complaints to herself. Complaining had only ever gotten her into more trouble in the past, so she had quickly learned to hold her tongue and suffer (often needlessly) at her parents commands from a very young age. She stood stock still as her mother circled her like a vulture, examining her from head to toe, looking for any other faults to bring to light and wave in Fuyuko's face as reminders of just how disappointing she was as a daughter._

_Reminders of just how much she was unwanted here._

_With a sneer, her mother came to stand in front of her before motioning servants forward. "Tie the obi tighter. Her waist is larger than an oxens. And change the sandals. If she is to become anything she must learn balance." The cruel white eyes that Fuyuko had inherited sent blistering messages of hate to her. "You will wear the sandals of the bareri-na__,__ and you will learn to act as the nobility that you are. Wench."_

_With that, her mother turned and walked from the room, leaving the servants to fuss over the changes she had ordered to be made. Her obi was released, and then pulled tight, then tighter, then even tighter, until Fuyuko felt like her intestines where in her lungs and her breathing capacity had been forced into a tiny glass vial of lip paint._

_When that was completed, the servants made her sit, and they removed her normal uwazouri so they could fasten her into the bareri-na sandals her mother ordered. Fuyuko bit her inner cheek, remembering the last time she had been made to wear these shoes. She'd fallen onto the dinner table, and had spent the next week picking bits of rice from her hair._

_These shoes were designed to force balance, height, and inflict pain. The foot itself was encased in the finest of silks, and secured into the shoe at the front by laced up ribbons. The toe of the shoe came to a flat edge, which rounded to form against the arch of the sole of the foot, and at the very back of the shoe, lying at the base of ones heel, protruded a flat carved wedge of wood. In this fashion did the shoe force its wearer to balance, constantly, on the tips of their toes._

_It was a well-hidden wince that Fuyuko beared standing up and finding her center of balance, keeping one foot in front of the other and walking in an unnatural paddling motion that left her feeling sea-sick. The worst part was that the entire weight of her body, multiplied by the numerous heavy layers of kimono, was forced onto the points of her toes, and at the end of the day her feet were often bleeding, and the shoes useless from being soiled by the blood._

_Now as she exited her room, she tried to remember how to breathe and walk at the same time, all the while feeling like she was going to tip over backwards from the weight of her obi's tie and the lightheaded feeling her excrutiating hair-do gave her._

_It was on such days as this that she often felt like pitching herself head first out of her third story bedroom window and breaking her neck on the rock precipices below._

_As she approached the formal hall where her parents had commanded her to come, a servant slid the door open for her and bowed with respect at her feet as she passed. Entering the room, she saw that her parents had a guest. The man standing at the head of the room and watching her with unnatural red eyes gave a chill to her heart._

_She listened with one ear as her father introduced her, all the while keeping her eyes on the dark haired man in front of her. "My daughter, Shikitei Fuyuko. Daughter, this is our newest ally, Naraku."_

_The dark haired man named Naraku moved forward and smiled at her with the most oily smile she could imagine. She watched with what she hoped were impassive eyes as he grabbed her hand and bent over it, placing a kiss on the palm."Fuyuko, it is a pleasure."_

_Swallowing whatever dignity and pride she had left for the moment, she bowed at the waist to him. "Naraku-san."_

///

She came rocketing to the present when she smelled the demon from her past. "Naraku." She growled, clutching the still sleeping Rin closer to her chest.

Everyone in the group was obviously aware of the same approaching presence, and were readying themselves for the battle. "Jaken, take Rin." Sesshomaru's voice was authoritative, and Fuyuko didn't hesitate in nudging the human child awake before setting her on the ground and allowing Jaken to lead her away.

"Shippo, go with Rin and Jaken!" Kagome ordered, and the young kitsune hesitated only a moment before running to follow the imp and human. Fuyuko watched them until they disappeared out of sight, and prayed to the Kami's that Jaken could keep the precious children safe, should anything happen.

Floating on his signature cloud of miasma, Naraku came to land before them, his face hidden by the baboon pelt he so often wore. "How nice to see all of you together, my friends." With a tilt of his head, Fuyuko felt those burning red eyes fall to examine her. "Ah...you I have not seen for awhile, my beauty. Do you still bear the guilt of your parents poor choices on your shoulders, hm?"

Fuyuko clenched her fists and bore her fangs openly at Naraku, growling in anger. The steady hand of Kagome on her shoulder held her back, and Fuyuko remembered her place, relaxing her features and diminishing her growl to a discontent rumble in the pit of her stomach.

"What do you want this time Naraku? Just come to be annoying, or are you actually going to do something instead of hide behind that freakin' fur bag you're always wearin'?" InuYasha shouted now, cracking his knuckles and moving in front of Kagome and Fuyuko, forcing Naraku's attention onto him.

"Tsk, tsk, InuYasha. No patience. Fine. If it is action you desire..." Without warning, a tentacle appeared from under the hem of Naraku's pelt, knocking InuYasha out of the way before a thousand more tentacles fired into action, striking at everyone within reach. Fuyuko acted instinctively and grabbed Kagome, dodging a strike just in time and landing with the miko out of the half-demons reach.

Without question Sango and Miroku had already moved into action, attacking tentacles as they came. Koga, though still slightly wounded, was only a blur of color as he dodged attacks and landed blows. Somewhere in the mass of tentacles, Fuyuko was also sure that InuYasha and Sesshomaru were holding their own battles. "Miko..." Fuyuko turned her head to Kagome, and watched as the human girl notched an arrow and was preparing to fire. The young girl looked up at her and nodded.

"I'm fine, Fuyuko. Get in there!" Kagome pulled back on the draw string of her bow, focused her energy, and fired at the heart of the mass of tentacles. The arrow was thrown off course with the flick of one tentacle, but still managed to hit and purify a mass of tentacles off to the side.

Confident that the little miko could hold her own, Fuyuko bolted forward and ran into the fight, claws unsheathed and fangs bared as she gave the monk and demon slayer aide on their side of the fight. Kirara was doing his very best to keep his riders out of the line of fire, and in the process was getting dealt a handful of painful blows.

In one moment, Fuyuko dodged the reach of one tentacle, only to be dealt a blow to the stomach by another. As she was knocked to the ground, she heard Kirara cry out in pain, watching as the feline was knocked from the sky, Sango and Miroku flung from her back and falling helplessly.

In a split moment of determination, Fuyuko lunged upwards, releasing her true form as she did.

///

Kagome was notching one of her last arrows and preparing to fire when she saw Kirara being knocked from the air. She cried out in fear as she saw Miroku and Sango tumbling through the air, with no soft landing in sight.

Then, a sudden wind picked up and nearly pulled Kagome's legs from under her as she gasped, watching as the whitest dog she could ever imagine sprung out of Naraku's tentacles, lunging directly for her friends as they fell towards the ground. The dog came up under Miroku and Sango in time to catch them on it's neck, and in shock Kagome watched as the dog bent over and gently scooped the wounded Kirara into its mouth before bringing him to Kagome and setting him down next to her.

Locking eyes with the large white creature, Kagome had a sudden realization. "Fuyuko!" she cried, half in shock, half in wonderment. The smooth furred creature with pale white eyes before her certainly held some noble resemblance to the fair demoness she knew. But this was the last thing Kagome expected her true form to be. It seemed too...tame to be anyones inner beast.

Fuyuko only nodded to the miko before turning and leaping back to the battle, Miroku and Sango still in tow. As Kagome came down from her shock, she watched as a flare of purifying energy came bolting from the woods behind Naraku and burrowed itself into the center of the tentacles, effectively melting away all that was Naraku.

A little clay figure lay in the spot where Naraku had been, and Kagome sighed, frustrated. _Of course, it's always a doll_.

She raised curious eyes to the edge of the forest, looking for the owner of the purifying energy that had ended the dolls short life.

The woman who emerged from the shadows of the trees was none other than the woman Kagome expected, and none other than the woman Kagome resented. Biting her tongue, Kagome steeled herself as the woman approached InuYasha, who regarded her with a rapt expression.

Kagome felt her insides twist over the idea that the hanyou would never look at her with even a fraction of that admiration.

///

******Bun dun dun dun. Mwahahaha. Snrk snrk snrk. And all manner of other dramatic noises. lol XD Not my greatest chapter...no, but not bad. Let me know what you think of it. Next chapter: More Sess-Fuyuko, and a little Inu-Kag on the side. That'll be fun :3 Oh yeah and ********in case you're wondering on what Fuyuko's true form looks like...tada! www_twilite-crescent_deviantart_com_****/art/Fuyuko-of-the-North-146275582******** (replace _ with dots) **Sort've a giant, perky eared, smooth furred Borzoi, or a Grayhound. Anyway, thanks for reading! Keep shipping! –Mistress Twilit


	4. NEW YEARS SPESHUL EDISHUN

**Yes, this is out of the current story time-line. Enjoy it anyway =P**

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"Have you ever noticed how it sounds like martial arts people are shouting names of rooms as they are fighting?" Kagome queried suddenly around a mouthful of caramel popcorn that she'd coated in chocolate syrup.

InuYasha twitched an ear in her direction. "What are you talking about, Kagome?"

"Think about it, Yasha! FOYA! KITCHAN! **BA-DROOM!**"

"I've never heard anyone shout 'ba-droom' in the middle of a fight, miko." Fuyuko wisely interjected.

"No, but it's always a sound effect they use in the movies." Kagome emptied the last drizzling contents of the popcorn bag into her mouth before discarding it to one side and picking up a bar of chocolate. "I've always had the fancy of shouting 'livaing room' or 'libraray' in the middle of a fight because of it."

"You have odd thoughts, miko." Fuyuko murmured, before furrowing her brows slightly and turning to face the young human. "What's this word...'movies'?"

"...nusing." was Kagome's slurred reply through a mouthful of half-melted chocolate bar and caramel squares. Fuyuko moved a leg to avoid the spittle of chocolate bits that came forth, and then eyeballed the bag of cylindrical items on the other side of her that smelled like black powder and human chemicals.

"So what are these?"

"Fire-snappers." InuYasha replied sagely. "Kagome says we have to set them on fire at midnight to scare off bad luck. Weird if you ask me. At least she brought back more Ramen."

"Where did you procure these items, miko? And how are they meant to scare off bad luck? Do they have sutra's built into them?" Fuyuko tapped at one of the cylinders with a cautious claw. Most sutra's couldn't do harm to a high level demon, but if her memory served correctly, they did sting, and often left unsightly red welts if they were applied with enough force.

"Oh...um...my home town. And it's not exactly bad luck, but bad demons that they scare off. They just make alot of noise, no sutra's. And they are called firecrackers, InuYasha." Kagome wiped the chocolate from around her mouth and instantly started ruffling through her bag for the next snack.

InuYasha made some non-committal sound of indifference while Fuyuko picked up one of the firecrackers and rolled it over in her hands, examining it carefully. "Noise? With the black powder, I assume? Sort of a...bang? I saw black powder in use while I was traveling the sea as a pup. Always left my ears ringing."

"Oh yeah, that's why I brought these!" Kagome produced a small plastic bag from her backpack and waved it in Fuyuko's face. The demoness had to blink rapidly in order to refocus her eyes on the bag dangling so close to her nose as the miko waved it to and fro. She noted two orange cones laying inside of the clear bag, and she sniffed at it with a raised eyebrow.

"What are these neon shaded pieces? How do they ease the ringing of ones ears?"

"You put them in your ears, like this." Kagome demonstrated, opening the package and stuffing the orange cones into her ears. When she spoke again, her voice was raised, and Fuyuko flinched back at the sudden change in volume. "It blocks out alot of the noise, so it doesn't hurt so much."

"All silly human superstition." Sesshomaru's baritone voice interceded into the conversation, and Fuyuko craned her head backwards to see the lord where he stood behind her, his face it's usual impassive mask, but Fuyuko could tell he was secretly interested in all this.

"Lord Sesshomaru-sama, will you be joining us for the...fire-crack festival?" Fuyuko questioned hopefully.

"Its a New Years festival. And it's fire-crackers. Plural." Kagome corrected, removing the cones from her ears and hastily moving to stuff them in Fuyuko's before the demoness could react.

As the small items entered her ears, Fuyuko was horrified at the sudden loss of her keen sense of hearing. She could no longer hear Rin and Shippo as they played at the edge of the village behind them, nor the soft sighing of the wind as it passed through the bows of the trees around them. Panicked, she started to claw at her ears to remove the impairing bits of orange stuff.

Kagome was fast to react as well, making various hand motions to indicate that Fuyuko should remain calm before reaching and grabbing one of the small cylinders from the firecracker bag and holding it out in front of her, setting alight a small string on its side before setting it on the ground and grinning ear to ear. Momentarily distracted, Fuyuko watched with avid interest as the flame on the string slowly disappeared into the cylinder. After a short moment of silence, the firecracker burst loose, stringing into the air with a screech and then culminating in a huge bang high in the air, splitting into a thousand pin-points of neon blue light that scattered and then disappeared.

Fuyuko didn't see the blue lights.

As soon as the firecracker had made its loud and offensive squeal as it flew into the air, she'd let out an ear-splitting scream of her own before twisting her body and diving backwards, heaving her frame in between Sesshomaru's legs and hugging one of them for dear life as she shielded her face in the back of his knee.

InuYasha was shouting loudly, in many colorful words while cupping his ears in his hands and shaking his head back and forth. Shippo could be heard wailing from the village. Koga had disappeared in a trail of dust into the forest. Sesshomaru had his hand on his sword, and he was glaring at Kagome with a fury she hadn't seen from the lord in a long time.

With a sheepish smile, Kagome shrunk downward. "Ehehehe...sorry...I didn't...really...think that through first."

"Hell no you didn't, what's wrong with you, woman?! I'll be deaf for weeks now!!!!!!!" InuYasha shook one fist at the cowering miko, who instantly began spewing apologies, most of which didn't even make sense.

Fuyuko peaked around Sesshomaru's leg and examined the clearing before looking up at Sesshomaru. "Is it over?" she questioned before jumping slightly at the sound of her own voice. It sounded foreign, distant, and a bit like it had been separated from her own body. Then she remembered the orange cones in her ears, and promptly removed them, tossing them aside before quickly resuming her act of clinging to Sesshomaru's leg.

"It is over, woman. You can let go of this Sesshomaru now." Sesshomaru replied shortly, sending her a cold look.

Fuyuko turned her eyes to the full bag of firecrackers and shook her head vehemently. "No. There are still some left."

Sesshomaru looked towards the bag himself, noting that the demoness was right. The bag was full, and most of the cylinders left looked much larger than the one that the miko had just set on fire. Already Sesshomaru was considering the many ways he could destroy the bag in one fell swoop.

Kagome noticed the way Sesshomaru was eyeing her firecrackers, and leapt forward, covering the bag with her body and glaring at the demon. "Nuh-uh! I didn't get to go home for Christmas, I want to have my firecrackers!"

"Kagome, did it occur to you that these fire-cracks of yours may scare off more than 'bad' demons? And for good reason? Look, Koga's already halfway across the country now." Fuyuko intersected quietly before Sesshomaru could kill the young human for being insolent, intolerable, inconvenient, or any number of other in-prefixed words that one could think of.

Puckering her lips, the miko contemplated the truth of Fuyuko's statement, but just as she was ready to respond, Fuyuko made a small noise of surprise. "Goodness! My ears aren't ringing!"

"Well that's just great for you, isn't it? Because my ears are making noises that I've never heard before!" InuYasha grumbled, sticking a knuckle in one fuzzy ear and wriggling it around in an attempt to stop the noise.

"Aha! See, they work, don't they! And I have enough for everybody! I even brought earmuffs to make it even better for you guys!" Kagome waved her hands in the air.

Fuyuko had let go of Sesshomaru's leg, and had picked up the orange cones, and while holding one in each hand was examining them closely. Standing, she looked from the cones, to the miko, and back again. "What do you call these marvelous orange cones, Kagome?"

"Ear plugs."

"Ear plugs! How marvelously and perfectly appurtenant! For they plug your ears! Look, Sesshomaru-sama!" Bursting forward, Fuyuko stuffed the orange cones into the daiyoukai's ears before he could react. Joyfully grinning ear to ear Fuyuko bounced up and down in front of the glowering Sesshomaru. "See, Sesshomaru-sama?! It makes our ears less sensitive! Ear plugs! Fantastical!"

Sesshomaru made a low growling noise in his chest, but couldn't deny that Fuyuko was correct, the orange cones did cut back his keen hearing. His half-brothers incessant shouting wasn't as grating as it had been a few seconds ago. "Hn."

Fuyuko spun towards Kagome. "Bring out the earmuffs! Get the cubs! We must make more noise, and torture those demons who are unfortunate enough to not have these orange cones!" Grinning devilishly, Fuyuko spun back to Sesshomaru, her eyes twinkling with delight. "Isn't it lucky that Koga left without any of these magical tools?!"

InuYasha scoffed. "Nah, it's just lucky that he left."

Within moments, everyone was gathered in the clearing (aside from Koga), even a few of the villagers who were curious and brave enough to get close to the full blooded inu-demons were there. Kagome was eagerly lining up firecrackers and connecting their strings while doling out candies.

Rin and Fuyuko were struggling to get Sesshomaru to wear bright pink earmuffs.

"Sesshomaru-sama, PLEASE! They will help protect your ears!" Rin exclaimed, oddly enough right into Sesshomaru's right ear as she sat on his shoulder and attempted to force the earmuffs over his head.

"This Sesshomaru will _not_ resort to wearing bright pink fuzzy 'muffs'." He paused, pulling the offending item in question from Rins grip and holding it out to examine. "Bright pink fuzzy 'muffs' with kitten heads printed on them, none the less."

Fuyuko sighed and took the earmuffs from him, quickly pulling off her own and holding them out. "Will you trade me then? I'll wear the pink kittens, and you can have the white ones with blue stars on them."

"I think those are supposed to be snowflakes, Fuyuko-san." Rin stated, eyeballing the earmuffs Fuyuko presented.

Fuyuko tilted her head and examined them. "Yes, I suppose your right...odd way of representing snowflakes. Everyone knows snow isn't blue."

"You would wear pink kittens?" Sesshomaru raised one eyebrow.

"I would wear pink kittens. Though technically, the kittens themselves aren't pink. They are white with yellow eyes."

"They kind of look like InuYasha!" Rin exclaimed with a giggle.

Fuyuko nodded with a smile. "So they do."

"OI!" the hanyou cried. "I may be wearing these stupid ear puffs, but I can still hear you!"

"Ah, that's not the worst of it, whelp. Sadly, I can still hear you as well. And they are ear_ muffs_. Half-wit." Sesshomaru sniffed, taking the white earmuffs from Fuyuko and placing them on his head.

InuYasha's next tirade of swear words and threats was much more muffled, and Sesshomaru nearly grinned with satisfaction. _At least that human girl of his is good for some things_.

"Okay you guys! All ready! Every demon got their ears covered?" Kagome called out. InuYasha was the only one to respond, and his mouthy version of a yes earned him three 'sit's.

At long last the group settled down and Kagome struck a match a few moments before midnight. Lighting the tail of the line of strings she had connected, she prayed that she'd gotten the timing right. She knew that there was every possibility that the meticulously laid out firecrackers could go off at odd intervals, or worse yet, all at once.

Holding her breath, she waited and watched as the strings blazed with fire towards the cylinders. On the stroke of midnight, the first firecracker went shooting into the air, lighting the sky with green, yellow, and white sparkles. It was followed in perfect timing by another that was red, which was followed by magenta, and so on. After a few minutes, the last three firecrackers were smoldering in preparation to go off. One right after the other they screamed into the sky, bursting into white, red, yellow, blue, green, purple, magenta, orange, and flurries of silver sparks.

The crowd burst into uproarious applause, and Kagome did a victory dance over her accomplishment.

Once everyone settled down, and the villagers began to head back to their homes, Kagome started cleaning up the mess with help from Miroku and Sango (who bickered more than they cleaned, but Kagome didn't complain). Picking up the last empty cylinder, Kagome beamed up at the sky. "This is gonna be a good New Year."

As she finished speaking, Sango slapped Miroku, InuYasha stole a candy bar from Shippo, Koga returned and picked a fight with Sesshomaru and Fuyuko, and Rin started chasing Jaken with a match.

Standing there and watching everyone fight, scream, run, and cause one another agony while calling out names and shouting obscenities, Kagome sighed. With a shake of her head, she balled her hands into fists, raised up onto her very tippy tip-toes, and gathered all of her energy before bellering at the top of her lungs...

"_**HAPPY NEW YEARS, ALL OF YOU JERKS!"**_

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**_Kagome says it best. Really she does. =P Happy New Years, all! Hope you're 2009 was great, and your 2010 will be even better! Lots of love, kisses, and fanshippy happiness from over here! =)_**

_**And don't worry, Chapter 4 is almost done. I'll probably post it tomorrow, or the next day, depending on how kind my muse is to me. Hope you enjoyed this special-rific episode of...'**__**Five Thousand Years**__**'!!! (Kami's, that sounds like a soap-opera, I just realized...)**_

_**Ah well. I raise my shot-glass of sparkling white grape juice to all you fan-shippers out there!**_

_**Happy Holidays**_

_**Fantastical New Years**_

_**XOXOXOXOXO**_

_**-Mistress Twilit**_

_**(And the whole InuYasha gang. Even Fuyuko. Even Sesshomaru. Maybe even Naraku. Though I haven't asked him. Don't want to. Let's just assume he wishes us all a...morbidly happy new year. Mwa-ha-ha...ha.)**_


	5. Just A Little Compassion

_**Disclaimer-**__No, I own none of InuYasha, Sesshomaru, Kagome, etc. etc. etc. etc. I am making no money here, and the only thing in this story that is remotely mine is Fuyuko, and she even is barely under my control, a'ight?_

**A/N:** _Has it been forever? Why yes it has. I just KEEP getting sick. And then I get better, and I have to go out of town for business. Then I get sick again!!! It's not bloody fair! And I've also been taking care of my niece recently, and that's a full time job in and of itself, you see. Sooo, since this chapter has taken so long to get to you...I made it extra long to make up for lost time :) Hopefully my writing still holds up to your expectations! Without further ado...onto Review Response XD Then the story. Feel free to skip straight to the story, I shan't blame you =3 Oh, and a quick BIG thanks to everyone who added this story to their favorites or watch-list!!! You make me feel all warm and bubbly inside! =^_^=_

**Gnarley- **Aww, you're the sweetest! Thanks for your support! I'm still writing, I promise! I won't stop until I die XD

**Monkeyheart- **Wow, that is the most excited review I've ever gotten, I feel privileged =D But down to the questions! 1-Why no, no Fuyuko didn't borrow Miroku's robes. She's still walking around with a hole in her clothes...for awhile :P 2-He tolerates her looking after Rin. Sort of like he tolerates Jaken, or Kagome looking after the cute kid. 3-I'm gonna screw up this explanation...but yeah, Fuyuko is from the Northern Territories. She wasn't the heir to rule, but her parents were fairly "powerful". Sesshomaru will definitely be cornering her and interrogating her soon. 4-Yep, Sess is still the one armed man! I imagine it does kind of suck...but he's like the black knight in Monty Pythons 'Search for the Holy Grail'. "It's only a flesh wound! I didn't need that anyway! Come back here, I'll bite you!" =D 5-Future mate? Not quite yet. Getting there. I think at this point he sees her as...competent. And non-threatening. And maybe kind of attractive...or at the very least, not unattractive. lol, Thanks for the review, and all the questions XD I'm writing as fast as I can, promise!

**Shanaye- **Thanks, thanks, thanks! =D Haha, I know exactly what you mean about flashbacks. I get bored with them after so long, because the current storyline is so much FUNNER. Haha, thanks for the review!

**BlueMinx87****- **lol, if you insist! Hope this chapter satisfies :) And can't you just? I figure that's what fireworks are for...torturing people with sensitive hearing. Hell, come to think of it, Kagome should bring some firecrackers to the final battle with Naraku! That would be fun!!! –giggle-

**Nyony's Echo****- **Ah, hello friend! Thank you so much for both of your reviews, it is always good to know that your writing is liked :) Haha, yes, Koga seems to have a very bad effect on people XD I'm glad I could make you laugh a little, I do enjoy writing humor...it is just a tad bit difficult in a story like this to work it in :) Perhaps I should start another story that is funnier, neh? Oh, yes, there will be MirSan, but I'm afraid they'll fall a bit into the background of this story compared to other couples (like SessFu and InuKag) Ooh, yes, 'twas fun to write the New Years Edishun, lol. I considered adding more fluff...but I figured I'd torture you all with more suspense XD I know you love me! =D XOXO

**The Lonely Dove's Tears-** Tehehe, thanks! It may take a little while for the relationship to grow. They are just refusing to hold still and talk to each other much at the moment =) Hope I can keep you interested!

**YOur-DoWnFaLl-** Thanks so much hun, I'm glad you like it! The chemistry should be starting in this chapter. A little more so in the next chapter...I'll just keep teasing and tormenting you, lol =)

_-Last Time-_

_The woman who emerged from the shadows of the trees was none other than the woman Kagome expected, and none other than the woman Kagome resented. Biting her tongue, Kagome steeled herself as the woman approached InuYasha, who regarded her with a rapt expression._

_Kagome felt her insides twist over the idea that the hanyou would never look at her with even a fraction of that admiration._

///

Fuyuko watched the scene before her with a well concealed feeling of shock, and worry. The group had set up camp not but minutes ago after a tense seven hour journey in which very few words were exchanged. Now the miko Kagome was sitting off to one side of the circle, looking pensive, and eating some strange concoction that smelled of straight sugar from a bag, while the miko introduced as Kikyo was sitting close to InuYasha while they shared some secret conversation.

This new miko, Fuyuko had already decided, she did not like.

Lord Sesshomaru had been right, for one, as the woman smelled of death, decay, and dirt, a most grating combination. For another thing, she had regarded the demons of the group with nothing but coldness and brittle words since she had joined them. Even the strangely clothed Kagome was a more enjoyable presence.

"Fuyuko-san?" Rins voice broke into Fuyuko's musings.

She looked down to the child that was currently sitting in her lap. "Yes, little one?"

The child pointed a finger to Fuyuko's stomach and tried to arch an eyebrow, but failing and only managing to squint one eye while opening the other wide. "You have a hole in your kimono. A big one." She stated sagely.

Fuyuko pursed her lips slightly and fingered the hole in her kimono. "That I do." Her milky eyes sought out the monk across the fire. The one named Miroku was busy sidling up to the demon slayer, and Fuyuko figured it best not to disturb them. _At this rate I'll never be able to mend my clothes_. She thought with an inward grimace.

"Sesshomaru-sama's clothes never tear." Rin stated again, glancing at the man where he sat a few feet away.

"Don't they?" Fuyuko hummed, only half interested.

"No. I think it's because he's so fast and graceful. I'm always tearing my kimono." The child held up the hem of her checkered outfit for the demoness' examination. "See?" with her thumb and forefinger Rin presented a tear before picking at threads that had come loose along the edge. "Jaken-sama says I'm too clumsy, and I should take better care, but Sesshomaru-sama never seems to mind."

"Rin." Sesshomaru's voice broke into the moment, and the child turned to face her Lord.

"Yes Sesshomaru-sama?" Rins bright smile only got brighter when Sesshomaru's cold gaze fell on her, and Fuyuko felt a smile twitch at her lips. _She really cares for him as he is_.

"You should be resting." Was the reply, and Rin didn't hesitate in jumping out of Fuyuko's lap, stretching her arms above her head and yawning broadly.

"Okay! Good night Fuyuko-san!" the human girl bowed at the waist to the demoness, smiling as always, then turned to Sesshomaru. "Sesshomaru-sama, Fuyuko-san needs something to wear while she mends her own kimono!"

Jaken jumped at this, squawking loudly. "It's no concern of Lord Sesshomaru's what the woman needs! Go to sleep and don't bother Lord Sesshomaru with such—GUMPH!" Jakens rant was cut abruptly short by Sesshomaru's foot directly in his face. Not that it stopped him from further ranting his apologies, even though his ability to speak was muffled. "Furgif me muh lurd, I wuz ow if lun." Was about as much as Fuyuko could catch, and attempting to hear—not to mention understand—the rest only gave her a bit of a headache.

Only when the foot was removed from the imps face and Jaken fell backwards onto the ground did Fuyuko deign to look up at Sesshomaru. _When did he stand up anyway?_ Was the only conscious question that Fuyuko could draw to mind.

Then she realized that somewhere in between standing up and kicking Jaken in the face, the demon lord had removed his haori and was holding it out to her, his face its usual impassive mask. Fuyuko felt like a fool, sitting there, practically gaping up at him like a startled deer, but she couldn't help it. He was wearing nothing but his hakama and his moko-moko.

Rins chirpy voice was what burst Fuyuko's bubble of disbelief. "There Fuyuko! Now you can stay warm while you fix the hole in your kimono!"

Milky eyes darted back and forth between Rin, Sesshomaru's chest, and the white and red patterned haori being offered. Finally confident enough that she wasn't imagining things, she gently accepted the outheld cloth with a graceful bow. "Thank you, Lord Sesshomaru." Were the only words she could formulate and trust herself to speak without stumbling over her own tongue.

"Hn." Was the only response she received before the demon lord walked away, Rin skipping along behind him, ever exuberant. Fuyuko blinked at him, looked down at the cloth in her hands, then glanced over at the imp next to her, who was attempting to stand up and follow his lord to the other side of the camp.

"Goodnight, Jaken-san." Fuyuko crooned softly, smiling gently at the toad, who glared back at her.

"You'd better be grateful, woman! The great Lord Sesshomaru is no soft hearted fool, he is..." Jaken was once again cut short, this time by a gentle pat to the head from Fuyuko's hand, and then a softly spoken sentence.

"He is the killing perfection. I know, Jaken-san, and I assure you..." Fuyuko glanced towards the demon lord across the campsite, smiling as little Rin fell asleep against his side, hugging his moko-moko close. "I am grateful."

Jaken harumphed before waddling away, and Fuyuko shook her head slightly at the little man. _It's no wonder Sesshomaru kicks him so often, the little grump_. Turning back to the cloth in her hands, she stood up to disappear behind a nearby tree in order to change out of the way of curious eyes.

She saw the miko Kagome stand and follow her from the corner of her eye, and she allowed it, knowing the woman must wish to speak to her about something private. Once safely behind a large tree, Fuyuko began to untie her obi, listening as Kagome approached.

Once the miko rounded the tree, Fuyuko looked up and locked eyes with her, a silent signal that she was ready for conversation. "What was _that_?!" was Kagome's first utterance, her eyes wide and jaw slack.

Fuyuko raised one eyebrow as she began to shed the three layers of her own kimono. "What was what, miko?"

"_That_." Kagome pointed to Sesshomaru's haori where it hung on a nearby branch.

Fuyuko spared the clothing a glance, then eyeballed Kagome's unusual attire. "It's called a haori, it's the outer layer of a kimono."

Kagome sputtered a moment, shaking her head and waving her hands in front of her. "No, no, no. I know what a haori is. I was wondering how on earth you got Sesshomaru to give it to you!"

Fuyuko tilted her head as she put the haori in question on. "He did not 'give' it to me. And Rin was the one who had him lend me the garment." With a flick of her wrist she threw her hair over one shoulder and grabbed the tie from her own obi. Kagome raised an eyebrow, watching while Fuyuko tied the haori shut and slipped into her sandals once more. When Fuyuko raised her eyes she met the young miko stare for stare. Seeing the expression on the humans face, she tilted her head to the other side. "You appear...confused, miko. Why?"

"Sesshomaru is back at camp wearing nothing but his boxers and a 'stay-the-hell-away' expression!" Kagome exclaimed.

Fuyuko furrowed her brow in thought. "Box...ers?"

Kagome choked on her words, going slightly red for even having used the allegory. "Hakama. I meant hakama."

"Well naturally. But what is this word boxers?" Fuyuko questioned, gathering her own clothing over one arm and staring expectantly at the embarrassed woman in front of her.

"It's...err...that doesn't matter! Can we get back to the subject of a topless, in other words _half-naked _Sesshomaru reclining against a tree back there?!" Kagome waved a hand in the direction of their campsite.

"You seem...unnerved by the idea of Lord Sesshomaru being half-naked. Is it a part of your culture that men must remain well-clothed?" Fuyuko questioned with a poker-face, though genuinely interested in Kagome's answer.

"My culture?" Kagome's mind was back tracking and reeling through the implications of Fuyuko's question. Then it struck her. _My clothes, the way I talk, the food I cook. It's all foreign to her, I forget. I must seem like a total mystery to her. _"My culture is the same as yours, Fuyuko-san. It's just...well, futuristic." Kagome half-explained, wincing over the open ended ideas her reply could leave.

Fuyuko mulled this over a moment before nodding slightly to show her understanding. "You are a forward-activist, dedicated to change and constant evolution."

Kagome opened her mouth slightly, considered her options, and vigorously nodded. "Yes, yes. Entirely. My whole family are forward-activists."

"I didn't think holy men and women were attuned to such unusual natures of thought." Fuyuko murmured, one eyebrow raising slightly.

"Not many are. And...well, I suppose my grandpa is still quite traditionalist. But he's very supportive!" _Until I bring home a half-demon, then it's out with the sutra's and on with the lectures._

"I'm glad he allows you such liberties." Fuyuko's eyes tuned off somewhere beyond Kagome for a short moment before coming back. "I would have liked to have someone to support me when I was your age."

Her mind entirely off of Sesshomaru now, Kagome felt a twinge of pain in her chest for the demoness. "Your family..."

"Was not so forward thinking and liberal." Fuyuko sniffed the air, testing the scent of Kagome's sudden sadness. "My father was a power hungry war-monger of a general, my mother a trophy wife lady-bitch. One cannot expect caring to come from two such individuals, miko."

"No." Kagome whispered. "I suppose not."

Fuyuko tilted her head to one side, examining the miko thoroughly. "You humans...feel emotion so easily. You allow it to consume you, even on anothers behalf."

Kagome felt like the bluntly delivered words were a question she was meant to answer, but didn't know the right words to put into the response for. "Y-yeah. Don't demons feel emotion?"

Fuyuko tilted her head the other way and her eyes wandered off. Kagome wanted to giggle at the image the woman made, just like a confused dog trying to understand a new command.

"Certainly we feel. But the...finer emotions, it would seem, are harder for us to come by, and grasp. Love, for example, for we demons is not at all like what you humans would describe." Pursing her lips slightly, Fuyuko paused before continuing. "Desire and lust are far more common. Desire to attain, and lust to drive the creation of further generations."

"Oh." Kagome furrowed her brow, trying to quantify this new information.

"Yes, it may seem cold. It is why humans misunderstand demons so. Your kind assume that we are heartless beings bent on the destruction of all life. Devoid of any, and all emotion." Fuyuko cast a soft smile towards her miko companion. "It may disturb you to know that even the cold and withdrawn Sesshomaru feels emotion. This is why you are so flustered by his kind gesture to me, yes?"

Kagome nodded vigorously, brought back to the original point of the conversation. "Yeah! I've seen Sesshomaru do some crazy things, but none of them have ever come close to counting as nice, kind, or benevolent."

Fuyuko allowed a sigh to escape her as she turned away from Kagome, a gentle and knowing smile on her mouth. "Miko, you are a creature worth more than your weight in goods, & a certain enigma to be sure. Of all the things for you to choose to corner and question me on this day, you chose the small quandry of a lent garment." Kagome flushed, ready to respond, but Fuyuko held up one elegant clawed hand and silenced her. "Now is not the time for conversing, miko. Your protector approaches, and he smells concerned."

Kagome raised an eyebrow. "My protector?"

On queue, InuYasha appeared from around the tree. "Oi! What are you two doing out here yakking? You women..."

"Sit boy!" the exclamation was just forceful enough to pull the hanyou to the ground and force him to eat a little dirt.

Fuyuko didn't bother to hide her amused expression as she stepped over the man and began to move back to camp. "I'll leave you two to your much needed conversation. Thank you, miko, for the vicarious emotion."

Kagome took in the gratitude and digested it. _Vicarious emotion? _It dawned on her momentarily. '_I would have liked to have someone to support me when I was your age.'_ Where Fuyuko could probably not even begin to fathom the feeling of sadness, Kagome had all too easily felt it on her behalf for her lack of true family. _And she had, at least, been able to smell what sadness is like._

"Oi! What was that for? I was just checking on you, for crying out loud!" InuYasha's voice broke Kagome from her thoughts, and the miko quickly turned to him, fire in her eyes.

"You're a prick!" This exclamation was brutal and forceful enough that InuYasha staggered backwards away from Kagome in confusion and slight fear.

"Wh-what?! The hell do you think I did this time, Kagome?!" InuYasha flattened his ears against his head, entirely prepared for the imminent tirade Kagome was primed to launch at him.

The yelling never came.

Only the scent of barely with-held tears, and the vision of the young human physically wilting, staring at him through wounded brown eyes that spoke of a pain much deeper than InuYasha could dream of reaching. All of the battles, choices, deaths, hardships, harsh words, and messy arguments shone through in every defeated line of the miko's body. InuYasha was shocked to the core. _When did Kagome start to look so old?_

"Kagome?" InuYasha tentatively raised one ear toward her, taking a slow step forward. Gaining no response, he pressed again, gently. "Kags?" Raising his other ear and inching closer still, no response was forthcoming. Reaching out with a cautious hand, the hanyou delicately traced a claw along the line of Kagome's cheekbone. "'Gome?"

Unexpectedly, the miko tilted her head into his touch. Curious, InuYasha unfolded his hand and cupped her cheek softly. _She's warm._ The thought seemed odd, but he couldn't deny its truth. The miko's soft flesh under his calloused palm was very warm.

The scent of tears dissipated, and InuYasha was aware of Kagome's eyes studying him with unnerving slowness. Uneasy, the hanyou glanced around and cleared his throat before dropping his hand back to his side. "Are you gonna tell me what's bugging you?" his clipped and blunt question at one time would have upset Kagome.

But not now.

Stepping forward, Kagome raised her own petite and delicate hands, placing her palms ever-so gently on the underside of InuYasha's strong jawline, her thumbs gently stroking the contours of his chin while her fingertips danced along his cheeks. InuYasha felt like he'd been turned to stone from the shock of Kagome's touches. All he could do was stare down at the young woman who was examining him with exacting and soft brown eyes.

She stepped closer, her body a hairs breadth away from his, her neck craned so she could still look up at him. One of her thumbs moved upward, tracing the shape of his lower lip with tantalizingly light sweeps.

Every nerve in InuYasha's body was alight. He felt like a cord pulled so tight, ready to snap and break under the pressure. Part of him screamed _'Touch her, kiss her!'_ while another part of him shouted _'Stop her, stop her!'_

"What are you doing?" the words escaped InuYasha's mouth so quickly that he didn't realize he'd spoken them until he saw Kagome's face contort into a wince before she pulled away from him, gaining physical space and averting her eyes to the dirt under her feet.

_Moron, idiot, twit, retard, the hell do you think you're doing? _InuYasha mentally chastised himself, very much wishing he could 'Sit' himself. _She's right, you are a prick._

"Kagome..."

Fiery brown eyes snapped from the ground to meet his gaze. "No, It's okay, I get it. I'll always be second best." The miko snapped, turning on her heel and marching around the tree.

InuYasha reacted quickly spinning around the tree in the other direction and cutting off her path. Grabbing one of her wrists, he held her still, and though she wouldn't meet his eyes, he knew she was listening. "I'll always care for her." He whispered before leaning forward and putting his mouth closer to her ear as he released his grip on her. "But I'll never choose her over you. She'll never compare."

Kagome's shock shone through in her stance as she straightened her posture ramrod straight and whipped her head around so that she could observe InuYasha's face. The hanyou was the one avoiding eye contact now, scowling slightly, his ears half laid-back and his shoulders curled forward as he hunched his posture.

_He's being honest._

Nothing made InuYasha more uncomfortable than confessions of feeling or emotion. Kagome respected the feat it was for InuYasha to voice such an opinion, but more-over, she cherished it. _He cares, he really cares._

Without a care for propriety, personal space, or anything else, Kagome flung her arms around InuYasha's neck, jerking him into a tight hug. "Oh InuYasha. I wish I had an opposite for the 'S' word right now!"

"Why, so you could send me flying through the air instead of into the ground?" InuYasha grumped over her shoulder, only momentarily and half-heartedly returning the hug.

Kagome pulled back a little, rolling her eyes at her hanyou companion. "Not that kind of opposite. I meant like the opposite of painful. An unpainful subjugation."

InuYasha raised one eyebrow at her, a smirk forming on his mouth. "A...pleasurable subjugation?"

Kagome flushed over the way he said 'pleasurable', and stumbled over the few insistent and embarrassing thoughts that it conjured in her head before trying to speak. "Y-yeah, like...'eat'...or maybe 'dance' or something..."

InuYasha leaned forward, one hand coming up to tangle fingers in her hair while the other hand found the small of her back and pulled her close. Kagome felt her breath catch and then halt entirely. Her heart battered wildly in her chest, like it was having a seizure or doing a badly tempo'd flamenco.

She entertained the brief idea that she may suffer from a massive coronary attack...and then she panicked.

///

Sesshomaru watched from the corner of his eye as Fuyuko returned to camp. She sat down with grace, unfolding her clothes on her lap as she began her careful reparations. He watched with hidden interest as she used the pointed ends of her claws to weave the frayed edges of the cloth together, slowly and deftly seaming the existing threads into an invisible mend line.

Moving his amber gaze from the demoness, he looked down to the child that was sound asleep at his side. Rin had wrapped her arms around his moko-moko, and had her face burrowed into the soft fur. She was beginning to snore. _And drool, _he noted with a raised eyebrow.

For a weak little human, the girl had far more power over him than he'd like to admit.

Why else had the idea of killing Koga seemed so thrilling earlier? Or, for that matter, why was he sitting in nothing but his hakama right now?

Rin.

Her, and another fact that Sesshomaru wasn't ready to admit to anyone, even himself. Amber eyes moved back to examine the white haired female across the camp.

She was interesting.

She'd rescued Rin, treated her like a daughter, and showed utmost care in handling her gently. She regarded InuYasha without contempt for his blood, she didn't fear or hate the miko's she was now in close quarters with, little less the monk or demon slayer. And what piqued his interest more was the manner in which she treated him.

In all her mannerisms she showed absolute respect to him, always communicating submission and obedience. But even as she respected him, her body language and subtle shifts in her scent spoke of fear. It didn't shock Sesshomaru, as fear was often the precursor to submission, but it didn't seem like it was normal for her to fear anything. He had, after all, seen her openly engage Koga in a fight without hesitation or trepidation.

He wondered why she saw him any differently.

With a raised eyebrow Sesshomaru turned his attention to the forest, sensing the miko called Kagome approaching unusually quickly for a human. When the oddly clothed girl broke into the clearing, she looked desperate, panicked, and confused.

Bemused, Sesshomaru watched the young human zero in on Fuyuko and rush to the demoness' side, grabbing one of her arms and attempting to haul the female to her feet. Fuyuko only raised her eyes from her work and studied the flustered girl that was attempting to force her into motion.

"Why are you pulling on my arm, miko?" Fuyuko locked her white eyes on the delicate hands gripping her appendage in desperation.

"I panicked, and I need protection!" the miko whispered vehemently, her brown eyes darting to the edge of the forest, and then scanning the group as if looking for any sign of hope.

Most of the group was asleep, or disinterested, but Koga instantly jumped on the opportunity, leaping across the fire and grinning broadly at Kagome. "I would be more than happy to protect you, my lady!"

Kagome made a series of unusual and unintelligent sounds at the ookami before waving a hand at him. "No, no, not you, go away!"

Koga looked wounded. "But Kagome!"

"I believe she said no, wolf." Fuyuko's voice was a low growl. When the wolf turned and openly glared at the female, Sesshomaru felt his anger spike, and he stiffened his posture before growling a series of warnings to the wolf in his native tongue.

The ookami tucked his tail, remembering himself before backing away from the miko and demoness. In one fluid motion, Fuyuko stood, allowing the miko to lead her out of the clearing, and Sesshomaru kept his ears keened to their movements while his cold eyes followed the wolf back to his position at the other end of the camp.

Satisfied that the wolf wasn't going to be causing any trouble, Sesshomaru paid careful attention as he noticed that the miko was beginning to speak to Fuyuko as they moved further away from the camp.

///

With her half-mended clothing in one hand, and her other hand in the tight grip of the miko leading her, Fuyuko had to wonder just what kind of a pack she'd gotten herself into. Undead women, testy hanyous, vicious demon lords, and pushy young miko girls that liked to drag you through the forest during twilight even when they couldn't properly see where they were going. Poor Kagome, having only human eyes, kept stumbling on roots that Fuyuko skipped over, bashing her head on branches that Fuyuko easily ducked, and mistaking large bushes for shadows until she was knee deep in thorny foliage.

As she was now.

Fuyuko sighed, wrapping one arm around the girls waist and hoisting her easily out of the bush before steadying her and brushing her off. "Where are we going, miko? I should be the one leading in this light."

"Away, far enough away that InuYasha can't possibly find us until tomorrow!" Kagome cried, turning her head from side to side, frantically searching the shadows of the forest as if expecting the hanyou to come jumping out at any moment.

Fuyuko raised one eyebrow and turned around, crouching down and motioning for the miko to climb on her back. Once the girl was situated, Fuyuko stood up straight, and posed a question. "What did you do that you fear the pup now?"

"I sat him...a few times...twenty times...maybe thirty...or more...and when he didn't really deserve it...but I panicked!" Kagome explained, resting her forehead on Fuyuko's shoulder and sniffling slightly in defeat. "I'm so stupid."

Fuyuko shook her head, "Hold on tightly, miko. I run faster than you are used to."

Kagome tightened her grip instantly, and Fuyuko didn't hesitate before setting off into the trees at blinding speed. She felt the miko instinctively tighten her grip even more, and smirked slightly. No doubt that her hanyou companion could not move half as fast.

Fuyuko could sense that the abused hanyou in question was now back at the camp, and trying to find their trail, no doubt. With a sigh, Fuyuko stepped into the air as though she was climbing stairs as she ran. With each step, bundles of white snow appeared, giving physical perch for her feet, and by the time they breached the tree-tops, Fuyuko was simply floating on a loose cloud of snowflakes that seemed to sparkle from within in an ethereal ice blue light. As Fuyuko gently let Kagome slide from her back to stand on the apparition of snow, the young miko stared in near disbelief at the sight. The proverbial snow cloud seemed too thin to hold weight, and each flake sparked intermittently, like the static electricity one sees at night as they turn over in their sheets.

Gauging the mikos reaction, Fuyuko smiled softly. "I am not too adept at this form of travel. It takes more energy than it is usually worth to expend, but if you want to avoid leaving a trail, it is best."

Kagome took a deep breath and tore her eyes away from the ground that seemed increasingly far away from them. "I've seen it before. Sesshomaru uses this...cloud thing every once in awhile. But it doesn't...sparkle!"

With a chuckle, Fuyuko focused her eyes ahead. "Every demon, or creature born with magic, has their own touches to the magic they perform. It is a...signature, of sorts, I suppose."

"That makes sense." Kagome nodded, then glanced down at her own hands. "My magic doesn't seem that different from any other miko's, though. Not that I'm too good at using it."

"One would assume that purification energy is basically the same, no matter who the user is. I've no doubt that if you ever tried using your miko powers for other things, that you would easily see the signature you inadvertently put into it." Fuyuko glanced at the young human at her side. "You must remember, the magic is the same, it is the vessel of the magic that orients it."

Without warning, Kagome's side of the snow cloud bucked and tried to flicker out of existence. Kagome became incredibly aware of just how far away the ground was in that instant as she began to fall backwards. She felt as though her stomach was in her throat, even as Fuyuko gracefully reached out and grasped her wrist, pulling her back into place by her side. "Forgive me, Miko. As I said, I am not so adept at this form of travel, particularly with company. It takes more concentration."

With a gulp, Kagome nodded her understanding. "I think we are far enough from camp, we could probably land." But this did nothing to calm the fluttering of her stomach. She'd just realized that she was floating along miles above ground with a demoness she'd only known for little over two days. The thought that Fuyuko could suddenly turn evil on her and simply reach out and push her to her death was more than Kagome wanted to handle at that moment. Death by meeting the ground at her personal terminal velocity was not the way the young miko wanted to go. Luckily for her nerves, Fuyuko agreed with her and began a gentle descent, keeping one arm tightly around the miko's waist. But Kagome's rampant imagination gave her a second thought. What if the demoness had a far more gruesome end in mind for her? Kagome eyed the claws laid carefully against her hip and remembered what they had done to Koga. She wished suddenly that she'd been braver and had stuck around to face InuYasha's fury when he emerged from his hole in the ground.

Once their feet touched solid ground in a small clearing, Fuyuko released her grip on Kagome and performed a graceful plié until she was sitting comfortably on the ground, her mending work unfolded in her lap as she resumed her task. Kagome blinked a few times and looked to the sky, where a waxing crescent moon was beginning to breach the tree-tops. With a sigh she bit her lip and looked back to Fuyuko, before collapsing onto the ground next to her in an ungraceful motion that was much like a marionette being cut from its strings and allowed to fall. _Silly notion Kagome. Fuyuko's no crazy murderess._

She examined Fuyuko sideways as the demoness focused on the work in her lap, letting her mind wind and unwind through thoughts at leisure. With a sudden sharp intake of breath, Kagome drew Fuyuko's attention from her clothing. The demoness' raised eyebrow pressed for an explanation, and Kagome could barely gather herself to close her mouth before speaking. "You...I never noticed, but the moonlight...you have marks like Sesshomaru!" Kagome reached out and touched the light silver stripe along Fuyuko's cheekbone, marveling at how the moonlight made the marking shine like molten silver, giving the marking an ethereal glow as though the moonlight was coming from under the demoness' skin.

One stripe ran along each sharp cheekbone, thinner than Sesshomaru's, and more elegant. The demoness' eyes were also ringed about by the silvery hue, and Kagome nearly giggled at the thought that it looked as though she was wearing eyeliner. Fuyuko nodded shortly while Kagome continued to marvel at this new found feature. "Their unusual color makes them impossible to notice in sunlight."

Kagome made a humming sound, dropping her hand back to her lap. "Do you have markings anywhere else?" she queried, curiosity coating her features.

Fuyuko chuckled and nodded shortly before lifting her hands and running her fingers from the high ridges of her hips down to points just above the junction of her thighs. "One on each side here." Was her short explanation before her hands returned to work on the garment in her lap. Kagome watched her work for a few silent moments, listening quietly to the sound of the forest around them before she piped up again.

"So what do they mean?"

Fuyuko blinked and cast a sideways glance at Kagome. "Mean?"

Kagome nodded. "Yeah...I mean, not all demons have marks like that, right? I thought that maybe they meant something..."

Fuyuko made a thrumming noise deep in her chest that sounded nearly like laughter, and she continued working on her mending as she spoke. "You are indeed correct, Kagome-san. Not all demons have such marks. They are generally displayed on higher ranking demons, who are able to take on more human forms."

"Such as you and Sesshomaru." Kagome interjected.

"Indeed. As for their meaning, Kagome-san, there is no truly shocking reason for them. These markings are just as much a part of demons as our inner beasts. Of course, there are a few legends surrounding their origin..." Fuyuko shifted the work in her lap to work on a different section of tear before she continued. "One says that the markings are simply marks of rank above lesser demons, and certainly to differentiate daiyoukai from humans, and that the original daiyoukai tattooed these markings onto themselves for such a purpose alone. Another legend tells that the markings are the physical representation of our inner beasts, and the physical tie to them." A small smirk turned the corner of Fuyuko's mouth. "That legends states that a demon without such markings will inevitably lose their inner beast, as it will run away without a proper tie to its owner."

Kagome grinned. "Well that just seems silly."

"Indeed, it is." Fuyuko agreed with a small nod of her head. "But my favorite legend on the matter, actually goes beyond the markings, and beyond the beast we demons carry. It goes back to the very beginning, and the creation of all by the Kami's."

Kagome perked up and shifted her position so that she was facing Fuyuko more fully. "Really? Please tell!"

Fuyuko smiled softly and nodded. "If you would like to hear it, I will tell it." taking a slow breath, Fuyuko raised her eyes to the line of trees ahead of her in thought, her fingers continuing their mending work with deft agility. "In the beginning, the Kami's had spirit, time, space, and magick, the oldest four of all elements. Together, the Kami's looked to the spot where our earth stands now. With their very hands, they combined space and magick to mold and create the earth, rich with soil and plant-life. They twined spirit and space to pour water across the land, creating the oceans vast and deep, and rivers long. Weaving time together with the lightest of magick, they formed the light air, rich with breezes and whisperings of things past and future. With spirit and magick, they dropped dancing fire to the land, creating warmth and beauty in each delicate and furious flame.

"With the world in motion, the Kami's used the warm fire to create the sun, and the cold ice to create the moon. But with all this made, the Kami's pondered its uses. Slowly, with the life of the earth, water, and air, they created creatures of all shapes and size. Winged creatures for the air, legged creatures for the land, and finned creatures for the sea. Fire was set aside, too volatile yet for any creations to be formed from it alone.

"And though all of these animals were wonderful and pleasing to the Kami's, the world still seemed desolate. So, combining together the magick of the earth water and air, they created humans, that they could enjoy the world that was created, and that they could live with the element of spirit. The humans lived a long time, enjoying the blessings of the Kami's, and the Kami's were compassionate to the humans, with the utmost love in their hearts for this, their greatest living creation of yet.

"But the humans became unruly. With each passing day, they began to destroy the earth that the Kami's had lovingly made and kept for the humans use. Many of the Kami's became angered, as the humans turned away from them and ignored all that had been done on their behalf. Some of the Kami's petitioned that the humans should be burnt off of the land by the volatile fire that they had so long kept in check to save the race which they created. Others suggested that the seas could rise and drown out the unruly race. Still others wanted to use the very earth, to upturn the valleys and crush the mountains, letting the very quaking of the earth take the lives of every mortal. One suggested a simpler plot, to simply remove air from the world, and let the mortals choke.

"But one, who was the eldest of all, silenced all of their suggestions, and with his right hand brought together the elements of air and earth, and with his left brought together fire and water. Clapping his hands together and infusing spirit and magick into the elements, demons were created and dropped to the land in so many shapes and forms that they were innumerable. All of these are the creatures we now know as lesser demons, those who have no control over their beast, and often take on such hideous forms. They were created for the sole purpose of destroying the mortal humans, and they did their job well. Day after day, humans were slaughtered, eaten, and their remains defiled. Soon, only a spare handful of humans were left in the world, and there were a few Kami's who began to take pity on the mortals.

"These few made a plan in secret that would save what was left of the mortals they felt compassion towards, and giving their own lives, they created the superior daiyoukai. These were creatures superior in all ways to both humans and the lesser youkai. Many could control the very elements, a blessing of birthright from the Kami's who gave birth to them through their own deaths. These daiyoukai became the rulers of the land, creating a balance between youkai and ningen. But soon the daiyoukai became greedy, seeking to control all things in the world as slaves rather than as subjects. The Kami's saw what their brothers and sisters had done to save the human race, and were moved to make sure that their efforts were not in vain. Touching the earth with fire, they created a fifth element, metal, and gave it to the humans to be molded into weaponry for their defense. The eldest Kami saw all this, and knew that weaponry would not be enough, so he reached out and touched a few humans with magick, birthing the first miko's and giving them the power necessary to kill the daiyoukai that threatened their towns." Fuyuko paused and looked to Kagome, who was watching her with rapt attention. "Your power is the oldest sort, Miko, the pure magick which brought to life even the Kami's. It is the same magick which can kill them, and their creations, if it is so willed."

Kagome raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean...if it is so willed?"

Fuyuko smirked slightly. "A knowledge you must gain yourself, I'm afraid, miko. But as I was saying, the first miko were created, and as battles raged for supremacy and freedom, the balance of power was even, no one side holding the winning blow. Eventually, all battles ceased, and though each race was wary and angry with the others, none would make any move against any other. For a short while, there was a tense peace throughout the world...and then two people fell in love." Fuyuko's smirk became teasing now. "A miko, of all people, fell in love with the most powerful daiyoukai there ever was. And he loved her in return."

Kagome blushed slightly under Fuyuko's teasing look. "What are you looking at me like that for?"

Fuyuko raised one shoulder in a small shrug before continuing on in her story. "The two would sneak away together, hiding their love from the cruel eyes of their peers, for fear of the consequences. Eventually the miko became pregnant, and their love could be hidden no longer. The daiyoukai stole her away from the world, protecting her all on his own from every danger the world offered. For the months of her pregnancy, they lived in relative peace and safety. On the day of their childs birth, however, tragedy struck. For all her strength, the miko died giving birth to the first hanyou. Heartbroken, her lover went on a killing rampage, destroying everything and everyone in sight, until all around their mountain home was a desolate wasteland. His hanyou son survived only a few weeks, furthering his fathers grief.

"Hearing the cries of this powerful creature, the first born daiyoukai, the Kami's were moved. They sent the demon a sword which would open the gate to the underworld and allow him passage. He would be able to travel to the other side, and retrieve his lost love and child. And so he did, carrying his love and his child from the depths of the underworld back to the land of the living. The Kami's graced him with one more gift, binding him to his love so that their lives were as one. As long as the daiyoukai was alive, so too would his wife. The hanyou child, of course, had inherited his fathers longevity, and so would live just as long as his parents. This gift was then promised to all other youkai, securing the blessing that those in love would never be apart." Fuyuko fell silent, examining her mending work for a moment before taking a deep breath and speaking again. "To show his gratitude, and devotion to his mate, the daiyoukai..." Fuyuko paused when she looked over at her companion, who had fallen fast asleep on the ground. With a soft smile, the demoness covered the sleeping miko with her newly mended haori. "...the daiyoukai tattooed himself with such markings so that the world would know that he was a blessed demon. Ever since, many daiyoukai have carried such markings, a testament that they are chosen creations of the Kami's."

Fuyuko looked towards the moon and released a soft sigh. "The difficult thing about the tale, though, little miko, is that for many youkai...compassion changes nothing."

///

Once the miko and Fuyuko were out of Sesshomaru's range of hearing, InuYasha staggered back into the camp, covered in dirt and turf and looking more than a little upset. Shippo was the first to address him, half sleepy and half amused the kitsune pointed out a worm that was crawling through InuYasha's hair.

The hanyou growled at the young demon before plucking the worm out of his hair, tossing it to one side carelessly before dropping to his hands and knees and shaking off the dirt that was stuck to him. Once that task was complete, the hanyou ignored everyone entirely as he started sniffing out Kagome's trail. As the hanyou was preparing to leap into the forest where Fuyuko and Kagome had exited the camp, Sesshomaru spoke up. "What did you do to upset the miko this time, half-wit?"

InuYasha pinned his older half-brother with a deadly look. "None of your business, prick-wad!"

Sesshomaru returned the hanyous testy stare with cool indifference. "I only asked, fool, because the miko mentioned that you did not deserve her retribution in this instance..." watching InuYasha's expression change from anger to curiosity, Sesshomaru averted his attention to the tree canopy. "Of course, that is why she is hiding behind the woman dog's paw right now. Safer with a near stranger than with you in a testy mood..."

Unexpectant of the figurative upper cut, InuYasha stammered for a moment, at a loss for a come back, before growling lowly and turning sharply on his heel to follow the scent trail, fuming over his half-brothers needle sharp insult. _Because the truth hurts. Kagome's never been more right about you...prick._ His very own conscious nagged him while he continued into the woods, following the unique scent that he had come to identify solely as Kagome.

It was with great frustration that InuYasha found the scent trail ending not far outside of the camp. Growling and muttering curses under his breath, the hanyou sat down right there and glared at his surroundings, as though the trees themselves had destroyed his evening.

One of Kikyos soul-collectors announced her approach, moving over InuYasha's head with a sighing sound. InuYasha paid it no attention, and even ignored Kikyo as she approached him. The undead miko examined InuYasha's posture, then followed his gaze to the trees ahead of him. "Kagome has gone?" Kikyos voice was soft as always.

"She went with Fuyuko..." InuYasha replied, his face arranging into a fresh scowl.

"Why?"

InuYasha looked up at Kikyo then, unsure of her sudden interest. Covering his hesitation well with his frustration, InuYasha scowled deeper. "Feh, she pounded me into the ground enough times to give me a headache. Guess she was scared I'd be angry after I climbed outta that hole."

Kikyo made a soft humming noise. "I see...I believe Fuyuko can be trusted with her for now. You need your rest, InuYasha, if our plans to destroy Naraku are to be of any success."

The hanyou grumbled, and Kikyo shook her head. "Please, InuYasha. Kagome will come back, I am certain. She always has returned to you before...has she not?"

"Yeah...I guess." InuYasha stood up slowly, and met Kikyo's gaze. "Want me to stay with you while you...uh..." he motioned with one hand to the soul-collectors that were hovering around them, waiting patiently for Kikyo to move onwards.

The undead miko looked to her soul-collectors and nodded shortly. "It's not necessary, but...your company would be welcome to me."

InuYasha felt a sharp pang in his chest at her hollow words, and as he followed Kikyo into the woods he could not help but wonder if the old Kikyo, the Kikyo he used to love and who used to love him, would ever be able to come back. Was all hope for the priestess gone?

Or could it be possible to return her to her previous life...

Could just a little compassion go such a long way?

///

_A/N:_ **Yay! Hope you liked. Actually kind of tried to wrap this chapter around a theme from a theme generator I found online... "**_**Compassion Really Changes Nothing**_**" I think I did well! Since the first five pages were written without any theme in mind...Well, I did start out with compassion, actually, since that was my intended title for this chapter, what with Sess giving Fuyuko his haori, and Fuyuko protecting Kagome from InuYasha and her own stupidity...It was complete serendipity that the generator spit out a theme that included compassion. Magick, eh? ;) Oh yes, and I hope none of you mind, I'm making Kikyo a little less bitchy and evil than most fics make her. Hope all's fair in undeath and misery to you guys XD Anyway, hope you enjoyed! And I hope I made up for lost time ^_^;**


	6. The Matter of Nothing

_**Disclaimer-**__ Do I look like Rumiko Takahashi? No, I own none of InuYasha, Sesshomaru, Kagome, etc. etc. etc. etc. I am making no money here, and the only thing in this story that is remotely mine is Fuyuko, and she even is barely under my control._

_-Review Response-_

**Gnarley- **Yeaaaaah, finally, after an age and a half XD I know, right? Aww, the warm and fluffy feelings of tenderness are emerging...or at least, as much as they can with a guy like Sess, lol. Hmm, Inu and Kag just need someone to slap 'em upside the head! I'll be taking care of that hopefully in the next chapter... Aww, I'm glad you liked the story! I spent alot of time on that little bit compared to the rest of the chapter. I'm thinking it might be a little tie in to future events :) Urgh, and I know what you mean about Kikyo. But I guess I'm kinda funny...I dislike her, but I feel soooo bad for her...-hugs undead miko- ....eeeh, I'll have to get over it. I'm thinking her part in this story won't end well...ah, but I speak too much! Thanks for the review! –gives you basket of cookies-

**Monkeyheart-** Glad to see you on the review board! Even if I was keeping you up late on a school night...okay, so that only makes it even better. Makes me feel all cool and special =D YOU'RE WELCOME! It's been fun. Getting funner, even. Mhm, I wanted Sesshomaru to do something not ooc, but still compassionate...I can't wait for them to get into it either. It's going to be an uphill battle from here for these two, I'm afraid XD Yeah, Fuyuko's pretty...different. And no, you're not too befuddled, it's Fuyuko that's got her head screwed on the wrong direction, lol. Hoping to get into that a little with this chapter...because, yeah, demons most certainly _do_ feel love and compassion. Fuyuko's just been brainwashed for too long to believe that it's not possible...depressing, really. But Sess is gonna fix that eventually, so alls good XD No problem hun! I just love getting your reviews, anyway. You're too much fun for my ego –giggle-

**-Last Time-**

_...__as he followed Kikyo into the woods he could not help but wonder if the old Kikyo, the Kikyo he used to love and who used to love him, would ever be able to come back. Was all hope for the priestess gone? _

_Or could it be possible to return her to her previous life..._

///

"_It is a curious sensation: the sort of pain that goes mercifully beyond our powers of feeling. When your heart is broken, your boats are burned: nothing matters any more. It is the end of happiness and the beginning of peace." -George Bernard Shaw_

///

As Kagome slowly re-entered the conscious world from her deep sleep filled with wonderful happy dreams, there were few words that could describe the feelings she had. The first that came to her mind were shit, uncomfortable, and freezing cold.

Sitting up, she whimpered from the pain of her muscles as they protested being used after remaining stationary in an unnatural position for the span of the night. Weary eyes blinked away the foggy haze of sleep while her brain danced around, asking questions she was unsure she wanted to answer. Over the tips of the trees around her she could see the first light of dawn lighting the sky with a cool purple hue. The small little clearing in which she sat was sparkling with dew, and a chilled breeze was climbing through the surrounding forest with adept ease.

Kagome considered the reasons she was without her bedroll or warm flannel pajama's, then contemplated the scenery that did not include InuYasha, Shippo, Sango, or Miroku. When her brain began to warm up, unlike her limbs which were soaked in the morning chill, she recalled the events of the previous evening.

Blushing hotly, she recalled the fact that her and InuYasha had nearly kissed...nearly, because she'd panicked and sat the hanyou far too many times than she dared to attempt to count. She remembered running for her life after that, locating Fuyuko, flying into the forest on a cloud of sparkling snowflakes, and landing in this clearing, where Fuyuko had told her the legend of the creation of the earth and all the creatures in it...and she'd fallen asleep just before the end. And thus she was here now, in the middle of a forest, alone, with naught but Fuyuko's freshly mended Haori for warmth.

Gathering the ice gray cloth carefully in her hands, Kagome stood, looking around for any sign of the demoness that they belonged to. The woman in question presented herself shortly, gliding from between the trees as though she was floating across the ground, a soft smile around her mouth. In one hand she carried a pair of squirrels, or what Kagome assumed used to be squirrels before they had been killed, gutted, skinned, and shivvied by sharp sticks.

Fuyuko held out the two squirrels, her expression placid. "I thought you would like to eat before we went back." she motioned with her free hand to a stack of wood and kindling nearby. "And I assumed you would like your food cooked."

Kagome grinned and nodded, taking the squirrels gratefully. "Thanks, I appreciate cooked food in the morning. I was worried you may make me eat a raw squirrel..."

Fuyuko smirked. "Not unless you would like to try them that way."

Making a face, Kagome shook her head vigorously. "No, thank you very much! Um...do you want me to leave yours raw?"

"No, thank you miko, I have already eaten. You may cook them to your tastes." Fuyuko waved a dismissive hand at the squirrels before taking her haori from the mikos other hand. "I will get dressed while you prepare your fire." She stated, showing no inhibitions as she untied her obi and shed Sesshomaru's red and white haori right there.

Kagome moved to the stack of wood, more than a little nervous as she knelt and began assembling a basic tent shape from the assorted logs and sticks Fuyuko had provided. She had no problem arranging a proper looking campfire, but starting a fire...well, her matches were back at camp, in the side pouch of her backpack. Those she had always trusted to start a roaring fire quickly and without any trouble. She'd never actually attempted to start a fire any other way.

With the wood arranged properly, Kagome fidgeted a little, contemplating her options. Rub two sticks together? Stare at the pile and wait for it to spontaneously combust? Give up while she was ahead and take Fuyuko's offer to eat the squirrels raw?

"What is the matter miko?" Fuyuko's voice startled her out of her thoughts and she looked up to find the demoness fully clothed and looking down at her with a thinly veiled expression of concern and curiosity in her eyes.

"Well I...I've actually never started a fire without..." she paused, bit her lip, and laughed self-deprecatingly. "...help?"

Fuyuko seemed highly amused as she nodded shortly and knelt down next to her, picking up a nearby rock and holding it close to the kindling at the heart of the logs. Kagome watched with surprise as Fuyuko scraped her nail across the surface of the rock and a scattering of sparks flew from it. In three tries, the kindling was lit, and Kagome was more grateful than ever to the demoness in her company. "Thanks Fuyuko...I really appreciate it. All of this." She smiled brightly at her companion. "You're really great."

Fuyuko smiled gently and nodded, standing and examining the area with an unreadable expression. "It is no great act, miko. I've not gone out of my way for you, or even truly rescued your life."

Kagome shrugged, moving the squirrels so they rested over the flames of the fire as it grew. "Maybe to you it's not that great. But to me you've been a really good friend." smiling up at the demoness, she giggled slightly. "All of the best friends make fires for each other and protect each other from crazy guys."

Fuyuko's smile widened marginally at this. "Hm. Perhaps."

The next minutes passed in a comfortable silence between the two companions as Kagome cooked and began to eat her breakfast. The young miko was grateful for a change in the menu from the regular noodles, noodles, noodles, and broth. InuYasha, for all of his talents, wasn't exactly the greatest hunter, so expecting any sort of meat from the hanyou was like wanting an oak tree to produce cherries. In fact, on the few occasions that their traveling group had been lucky enough to eat a rabbit, or even a deer, it was Miroku or Sango who brought the prize to camp.

Kagome had a sneaking suspicion, however, that InuYasha wasn't particularly _bad_ at hunting...he just didn't _want_ to hunt. The young miko marveled at the fact that the dog-eared man never tired of the packaged noodles that she brought from her own time, as she knew that Sango and Miroku shared her sentiments on the repetition of their diets. Shippo, though, seemed just as content to consume noodles day in and day out.

Maybe it was a youkai thing...

With a yelp, Kagome darted to her feet, slapping at her neck where a sudden sharp pain had stabbed her. Fuyuko responded instantly with defense, grabbing the mikos arm and pulling her close, growling a warning to the invisible threat, her cold eyes scanning the surrounding trees for any enemies.

With her heart racing, the young miko pulled her hand away from her neck, expecting to see blood coating it.

It was with sheepish and nervous laughter that Kagome looked down on the offender to her physical well-being...Myoga, half squashed and looking pekid sat square in the center of her palm. "Oh...I'm sorry Myoga...I didn't realize that it was only you. Are you all right?"

The flea merely whimpered while he tried to gather himself. Kagome looked up at Fuyuko, who was still looking ferocious, her lip curled into a silent snarl while her glassy eyes assessed Myoga with a calculating deadliness that made Kagome want to recoil from her. "Oh, Fuyuko, this is Myoga. It's okay, he's a friend. He just bites me every now and again..."

The demoness raised an eyebrow at this incongruous statement, but let it lie, her features relaxing into their usual passive state. "I see."

"Ho, I should work on my entrance, me thinks..." Myoga muttered, rubbing his sore head before looking to Fuyuko. "Ooh, M'lady, forgive me, I did not see you there." the demoness acknowledged his apology with a lazy blinking of her eyes and a slight tilt of her chin. "Say...you are an inu-youkai, aren't you!" Myoga leapt from Kagome's hand suddenly to land on Fuyuko's nose. "Oh, to meet a female inu, what a treat! What a rare treat!"

This gave Kagome a start. "Wait...what do you mean, Myoga? Are inu's really that rare?"

Myoga did not respond, he was far too busy sucking blood from the tip of Fuyuko's nose while the demoness appeared to tolerate the unusual treatment of her face. It was she who responded to the mikos question, her face and voice impassive as she explained. "Hm, as with any daiyoukai race there is the factor of rarity. At most with any species, around fifty may be in existence. The flea's point, young miko, is that for the ten to twenty inu's alive today, only two or three are likely to be female."

"So few?" Kagome was highly disappointed. This meant that she had probably already met the only two inu-demoness' in existence.

Myoga, plump with Fuyuko's blood, now let go of her nose and clumsily swung himself onto her shoulder. "Hrm, yes Kagome. Inu's, unfortunately, produce more sons than daughters, and with the way inu-mates fight with one another, the chances that they will have a chance to produce a female pup is quite low." the flea hiccuped and rocked backwards unsteadily. "A real pity if you ask this old flea...the females have the sweetest blood."

"I am glad to have sated your tastes, flea." Fuyuko stated, though looking no more glad about it than anything else.

"So, you mean..." Kagome's shoulders were rolled forward, a slight pout around her mouth as she stared at Myoga.

The flea hiccuped again and nodded slowly. "Yes, I'm afraid that aside from Sesshomaru's mother, Fuyuko may be the only female inu alive."

"Oh." Kagome's posture wilted further.

"Tell me about it. Sesshomaru's mother is a real bitch, literally. With her at the head of the female inu-race, I fear the species is doomed." Myoga muttered.

"Does this make me exempt from mating?" Fuyuko hummed, raising an eyebrow.

"Oh, I certainly hope not, my lady! With your sweet blood, I hope to be able to look forward to many little pups with the same essence." Myoga rolled backwards entirely then, falling straight to the ground and bouncing like a little rubber ball three times before coming to a rest on his side.

Kagome sighed and stooped over the little flea, picking him up and sitting him upright in the palm of her hand. "Well, now that you're full...what are you doing here Myoga?"

The flea jumped slightly, startled by the memory that he had something important to do. "Oh yes! I had something to tell you and InuYasha!" he looked around then. "Um...where is he?"

Flushing hot red, Kagome stammered. "Eh...err...InuYasha is at the camp. With everyone else. Fuyuko and I were...uhh..."

"Scouting. And sharing breakfast." Fuyuko finished for her as she worked on finishing out the already dying fire, her voice and face belying nothing of the truth.

Myoga seemed satisfied with this answer. "Ah, well then, as soon as the fire is fully put out, we must be back to the camp! This is news that I would much rather say all at once, you see...as much as I hate to face InuYasha. He can be so cruel to me."

Kagome patted the little flea on the head, offering her comfort and sympathies. "I know, Yasha can be a real jerk sometimes. I'll do my best to keep him off of your back this time, Myoga."

"Oh, my thanks indeed, Kagome. That would be wonderful. He seems to listen to you more than anyone else." Myoga nodded sagely.

Snorting, the miko rolled her eyes. "Yeah, probably because I've got a ring of subjugation beads around his neck. If it weren't for them, he probably wouldn't give a second thought to anything I said."

"The fire is covered. If you two are ready..." Fuyuko turned her back to Kagome and crouched down, allowing the young human to climb onto her back.

Kagome braced herself as Fuyuko repeated her path of the previous night, and they sailed into the air on the cloud of snow. She was still greatly unsure about the height, if not the company. Myoga, however, seemed overjoyed at the form of travel, and even braved hopping down from Kagome's hand to stand on the very edge of the cloud, breathing in the fresh breeze and examining the view with a broad grin on his little face.

When Kagome asked him why he was so happy to be so close to a plummeting death, the little flea laughed and told her that in all his years, when the rare chance to see the world from above everyone else's heads came around, he had learned to enjoy it to its very fullest. He then demonstrated that if one stood with their legs outspread and their arms stretched out to either side, one could lean forward and the breeze would hold them up and one could feel like they were flying.

His enthusiastic demonstration aside, the distance between their unsteady perch and the ground kept Kagome from trying the experience herself. The miko kept glued to her spot next to Fuyuko for the duration of the trip, clinging to the demoness' arm and staring at a point on the horizon while chanting an affirmation over and over again in her head.

_I will not fall, I will not fall, I will not fall._

As Fuyuko lowered the cloud gently back into the forest, Kagome's stomach reeled with a new terrifying prospect...facing InuYasha after he had spent the night fuming to himself. She winced visibly when she heard the hanyous angry ranting filtering through the trees ahead of them.

Fuyuko's hand came to the young girls shoulder, a silent but powerful promise that the demoness had her back, come hell or...well, hanyou. Kagome offered a grateful--if a little weak--smile to her friend. At least she could rely on one person to take her side in this fight.

As the trio entered the clearing where the rest of the gang had spent the night, it was obvious that some sort of hell had broken loose in the early morning hours. InuYasha was in Sesshomaru's face, shouting like there was no tomorrow while Sesshomaru blatantly ignored him. Kikyo had her hands on InuYasha's shoulders, and was clearly trying in vain to calm the hanyou. Koga was off to one side, looking amused, with, of all things, a _bra_ draped over his head while Rin and Shippo sat in front of him, giggling wildly and munching on candy bars. Sango and Miroku, impervious to the madness around them, were sitting by a fire sipping at the broth from their mornings noodles. Noodles, Kagome noticed, that were strewn through InuYasha's hair.

But what Kagome noticed most was where the candybars and bra had emerged from...her backpack. It was tipped over on its side, looking deflated, while its contents were strewn _everywhere_ in sight. Toiletries, clothing, food, candy wrappers, school books, papers...

Kagome was livid, stunned, and embarrassed all at once. The three emotions bombarded her while she stood stock still at the edge of the campground, surveying the massacre of her possessions.

Unintentionally increasing the mikos embarrassment, Fuyuko plucked a tampon from a nearby tree branch, sniffing it delicately while turning it over with curiosity written on her features. "A most interesting cloth cylinder, miko. What are its uses?"

That did it.

The young woman clenched her fists at her sides, literally shaking with fury. "INUYASHA!" The clearing fell silent, and the red-clad hanyou turned to face his fate with a sheepish expression. "...SIT BOY! SIT! SIT! SIT! SIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIT!"

This sent the already amused Koga into a round of uncontrollable laughter. Shippo and Rin seemed perfectly appalled. "But Kagome!" Shippo shouted, "He didn't do it!"

Kagome's face drained of color instantly. Almost as instantly, a flush of color returned to her cheeks as she turned on Sesshomaru, assuming that if InuYasha had nothing to do with it, and he had been yelling at the demon lord...

"Do not look at me, miko. I have no interest in your human artifacts." Sesshomaru sniffed, almost sounding offended that she would even think he had anything to do with it.

Which only left one choice to the furious miko. "Koga..." she growled. The ookami was too busy rolling around on the ground, her bright pink bra still stuck to his head, to notice her fury however.

Kikyo took the chance to speak her piece on the matter. "Kagome, please do not be angry. The wolf was only searching for something to appease the children..."

"And so he went through the _whole_ bag?" Kagome's voice reached a new pitch that made Fuyuko flinch away from her.

"Not only him...the children helped. They were only curious." Kikyo tried again, holding her hands up. "The mess occurred after the children were under the influence of the sugar from your time. InuYasha was searching for you when this all occurred..."

Kagome felt her heart flop in her chest. InuYasha had been searching for her, and she'd punished him for something that had happened in his absence. "Oh..." she was deflated now.

Fuyuko braved speaking up then. "But Kagome..."

"Hm?"

"What is this cylinders purpose?"

The miko flared to life again, grabbing the tampon from Fuyuko's hand forcefully, her cheeks red. "N-nothing! It's just something...Oh, nothing!"

She stomped into the clearing, grabbing her possessions as she went, ignoring the howling laughter of Koga, and the fresh wave of yelling from InuYasha as he peeled himself from the ground. She was even irked enough to rip the half-eaten candybars from Rin and Shippo's hands. While the frustrated girl gathered her things and stuffed them into her backpack, Myoga tried in vain to get everyone's attention.

InuYasha was busy yelling at everyone who was brave enough to make eye-contact with him (mainly Sesshomaru and Fuyuko), the children were playing a fresh round of sugar-rocket-powered tag, Miroku and Sango were trying to finish their breakfasts in peace, and Kikyo was trying to help Kagome gather her things without getting in the line of her anger.

Finally, Fuyuko took pity on the flea and held him up on the palm of her hand, letting loose a sharp whistle that halted all activity in the camp. "I believe the flea has something to say..."

InuYasha, obviously still irked at the world, bore down on the flea where he sat in Fuyuko's hand. "Oi, Myoga! Didn't think I'd be seeing you for awhile, you coward."

Myoga, knowing full well that Kagome couldn't possibly help him now, flinched away from the red-clad hanyou. "You know I always try to be present when you need my help InuYasha, and that is why I've come now. I have information that could greatly help you now, when the situation is becoming increasingly dire!"

"Ch-yah, right. That's always your idea of help, say a few words then run away like a chicken." InuYasha scoffed.

Kagome flared back to life at this chosen moment, coming up beside InuYasha, her nearly full backpack in one hand, and a fist full of tube socks in the other. These she waved in the hanyou's face as she ranted. "Don't you talk to Myoga like that! He's trying to help us out, and all you can whine about is that he doesn't stick around for the big fights! Well guess what InuYasha, not everyone is as brave as you are! So get over it, and let him speak!"

InuYasha looked primed and ready for a retort, but Myoga interceded before things got out of hand. "What news I bring will be either relieving or most stressful to you, I'm afraid. Firstly, I believe you are following a trail towards Naraku himself, no?" the absence of a denial from anyone in the group was as good as an affirmation that the flea would get, and accepting this, he carried on. "On your way, I'm afraid you will run into Kohaku."

Sango kept gravely still, but her face belied her inner turmoil over the mention of her young brother. "How do you know, Myoga?" the slayer queried, somehow hopeful that perhaps the fleas statement could be untrue.

"I know from the frightened rumors that run through villages here and there. The truth I have been able to obtain from the frantic whisperings is as such; the boy has been detained once more by Naraku's powers. All I know is he is being kept in a palace to the east, with a few of Naraku's other unfortunate slaves. In order to get to Naraku, you will have to pass through this palace, as it blocks the entrance to the caves where Naraku is now hermiting away his time, likely rejuvinating once more." Myoga explained before taking a deep breath. "The other news I bring you is far more fortunate...there is one in the north who would help you."

Fuyuko's impassive expression flitted briefly into one near fear, and pain. "The north, flea?"

Myoga hummed shortly. "Indeed. That is where I have been for these past months, searching for the one who has the power to aide this fight."

"Feh, then why isn't he here, if he is so powerful?" InuYasha scoffed.

With a sniff, Myoga glared up at InuYasha. "Not _he_, InuYasha, but _she_."

"What?" InuYasha cocked an eyebrow.

"I said that is a she who wishes to help. That is, a female." Myoga patronized the hanyou while he had the chance, then hurried on to speak more seriously. "They call her the North Witch, and after I found her she was very insistent that you all go to see her."

"And why should we?" InuYasha scoffed, folding his arms over his chest. "We're doing fine on our own, no witches needed." Kagome thumped him over the head with a calculus book.

"She has offered to give you each gifts, that is why. The North Witch doesn't offer gifts to just everyone you know! And she's got power that you simply couldn't get in a thousand years if you tried, InuYasha!" Myoga bounced up and down on Fuyuko's hand as he ranted, his little face turning a bright hue of red.

"This North Witch is indeed well famed for her powers and knowledge, pup. Visiting her would be a wise decision for us all." Fuyuko spoke cooly.

"Keh, if she's so famous, why ain't I heard of her?" InuYasha scowled.

"One would not expect a half wit hanyou to know anything of such importance." Sesshomaru dead panned, raising InuYasha's ire further.

As the dog-eared boy turned on his half brother and began a fresh round of shouting, Kagome finished packing her things into her trusty backpack. "It sounds like a great idea to me. I mean, if she can give us the gifts we need to finish Naraku, I'm for it." the young miko spoke with a cool tone of voice, even though her expression belied her inner irritation.

"But Kagome..." Sango seemed hesitant as she began to speak. Miroku pressed her gently to continue with a gentle nod of his head. "If Kohaku has been recaptured by Naraku..."

Kagome sighed, her brow furrowing in thought. "I know, Sango. If I were you, I would want to go straight to help Kohaku too. But don't you think it would be better if we..."

"No way in hell, Kagome, we're already close to Naraku's new lair, and we ought to go in swinging while the bastard is regenerating and down on his luck! We go to this palace place now, and forget this witch woman." InuYasha snapped, glaring at everyone in the group as though daring them to say anything different. Myoga, exasperated and perhaps more of a coward than anyone gave him credit for, gave his thanks and farewell to Fuyuko before hopping straight away into the forest, disappearing into the shadows without a single trace.

"You've got to be kidding InuYasha, the last time we tried attacking Naraku while he was regenerating, we nearly got killed by all of his puppets and slaves! Or maybe you don't remember that day because you were knocked out for half of the fight!" Kagome retorted, glaring right back at the irked hanyou.

"I remember what happened just fine! That's why I know we can do it better this time!" InuYasha stepped forward, coming face to face with the young miko, who didn't back down.

"I won't have you getting us all killed because of your stupid pride, InuYasha! If you want to go fight Naraku, then you can go on your own!" the human girl stomped her foot on the ground, as though finalizing the conversation.

"Actually...Kagome..." Koga, now sober from his laughing fits, chose to interject. "As much as I hate to say it...the mutt-brain might be right. If he's going to take on Naraku while the son-of-a-bitch is down, I'm going with him."

Kagome, shocked, but not phased, didn't skip a beat. "Fine! Both of you conceited morons can go get yourselves killed!"

"I'm going too, Kagome." The miko whipped around to face the taijiya who looked genuinely pained. "I'm sorry. I must fight for my brother."

"If my Sango is going, then so am I." Miroku stated, though hardly to anyones surprise.

Kagome looked genuinely as though she was floundering for words now as she turned to Kikyo, expectant that the older woman would at least have further sense than the others. The undead miko was expressionless as she voiced her stand. "I will follow InuYasha."

Desperate, Kagome turned her eyes to Fuyuko. The white-haired demoness looked unsure, her icy eyes moving from the young miko to the silent Sesshomaru. "I do agree with you, Kagome..." was her final, inconclusive answer. Kagome actually understood the demoness' meaning, and so turned to face Sesshomaru, unsure and wary of the demon lords decision.

After a moment of silence, his short reply sent a small wave of relief over Kagome. "This Sesshomaru agrees with you, human."

Shippo, though still slightly giddy from his sugar high gave the young girl further relief when he hugged her leg tightly. "I'm going with you, Kagome!"

Bouyant, Kagome turned back to face InuYasha, a smile on her face. The smile faded quickly when she saw the hanyou's expression. Golden eyes were hard, and the mouth that was usually molded into an angsty scowl was now drawn into a thin expressionless line. Kagome felt as though her heart had turned to lead as he spoke. "You go your way, we'll go ours."

It felt truly as if those words encapsulated the whole situation, from the very moment that Kagome sealed the subjugation beads around InuYasha's neck, right up to this very second. They had never meshed. They had never had the same idea. They had always been going in two very seperate directions.

Kagome felt tears ready to swell into her eyes at the thought, but she bravely kept them contained. She knew she could probably 'Sit' InuYasha into agreeing with her, but she wouldn't. She knew it wouldn't be fair to the others. And it most certainly wouldn't be fair to the hanyou whom she now realized did not deserve to be leashed to a girl like her. "Yes." was her simple agreement before she turned her back to him, easily locating the direction of north from the position of the sun, and began marching, chin high in an attempt to conceal the turmoil she felt inside.

With the repeated chant in her head that everything would be fine, and the knowledge that Shippo was perched on her shoulder while Fuyuko, Sesshomaru, Rin, and Jaken followed behind, the young miko remained resiliant and strong for the greater part of the morning. It was in the middle of a well trodden goat path that her resolve melted away with the simple sound of shredding cloth.

The bright yellow backpack that had so faithfully sustained over a years worth of packing, unpacking, walking, dragging, fighting, and other such forms of abuse finally gave up the ghost, the seams all simultaneously caving under pressure, allowing the bottom of the pack to fall away, leaving the contents to spill out onto the ground. Kagome froze entirely in the middle of the path, her fists clenching and unclenching around the straps of the backpack where they remained curled over her shoulders. The young miko's breathing became erratic while she fought for control over her rampant emotions. She was shocked when Sesshomaru, who had long since taken the lead, stopped walking as well and looked to her over his shoulder, his expression blank as his amber eyes assessed her. He turned his attention away from her just as quickly, but remained absolutely stationary.

Kagome figured that was just as good of a go-ahead she was going to get out of him, and she went right ahead and let the tears come pouring out as she sagged to the ground, pulling the useless backpack from her shoulders as silent sobs racked her slight frame. Shippo and Rin were on her in an instant, each taking a side and hugging her tightly, remaining blessedly silent while they offered their support. Jaken even took his queue and kept silent.

While the miko aired her grief, Fuyuko went to work on the scrap of a backpack. Within minutes, the demoness' claws had cut away the useless material and created a perfectly usable, though smaller than its predecessor, backpack. As Kagome dried her eyes, she watched with wonder as Fuyuko sifted through her scattered belongings, assessing importance and usefulness as she stuffed the newly remade yellow pack.

The girl had to smile as she noticed the demoness shoving aside all of her future foods and cooking utensils, choosing instead to pack her school books and clothing. The box of matches, which Kagome had become so dependant upon, was sniffed shortly, then quickly tossed aside from their assumedly foul scent. The bag which held Kagome's toothbrush, deodarant, hairbrush, and other toiletries was also nearly tossed aside from the assessment of its scent, but the miko botched that attempt, much to Fuyuko's chagrin. The last item to be packed was the box of tampons, which Fuyuko handled as though they would cause an explosion of homicidal proportions from Kagome.

When the bag was sealed, Fuyuko helped Kagome to put it on with the gentleness of a mother. The demoness then helped the girl to her feet, brushed the dust from her clothing, and with a gentle ease as though nothing at all had occurred, breezed ahead on the path. Sesshomaru waited for Fuyuko to fall into place behind him before he set forward, and the children resumed their playful conversation.

Though Kagome still felt as though she could cry for another thousand ages, the way her companions handled the situation made things seem not so bad. Their silent understanding, the unquestioning way in which they accepted her emotions, was a relief to her, and it made the ache in her chest a little more bearable. It allowed her to travel the rest of the day in a peaceful haze.

///

After nightfall, the diminished group found shelter in a shallow cave. Kagome was pleasantly surprised when Sesshomaru brought them a young deer for their evening meal, and even more surprised when Rin was the one to gleefully begin skinning and gutting the creature. Shippo seemed even more stunned, but while Kagome helped the young girl in her work, the kitsune continued chatting happily with his friend.

Fuyuko was the one to start them a fire, and was conscious enough of human diet that she asked Kagome if there was any need for other sustanence that she could retrieve. Rin, with her usual glee, was the one to ask for rice and sweet berries. Kagome thought the child was aiming a bit high, but Fuyuko didn't seem to think the request was too much, and without much ado, she was out of the cave and on a quest for rice and berries.

While the meat cooked over the fire, and Rin taught Shippo a game that Kagome didn't quite understand which involved two twigs and an assortment of pebbles, Jaken saw fit to pass out in a corner. The little imps snoring almost made him cuter than he'd ever been while he was awake. But on the other side of the cave, Sesshomaru was as stoic as ever, his piercing amber eyes gazing out of the caves entrance unblinkingly.

Kagome thought about what Fuyuko had said to her only the night before. _E__ven the cold and withdrawn Sesshomaru feels emotion_... She still found it a bit hard to fathom, but then...she looked at the little human girl who was turning the meat over the fire with a very competant and grown-up air about her. The cold youkai had rescued the little girl more than once and even showed an almost fatherly care for. Was that not emotion? Caring? Love, even? Her brow furrowed in deep thought. That couldn't be right, Fuyuko had said that demons didn't feel love. So either Sesshomaru was sheltering the young human for amusement, or boredom, or Fuyuko was wrong, and he did feel something for the child that was very close to, if not exactly like love.

She bit her lip and eyed the demon-lord apprehensively. She wanted answers, but she also valued her life. Considering that her day couldn't possibly get any worse, even if Sesshomaru did kill her for being a nuisance, she moved to sit next to him. He didn't acknowledge her as she made herself comfortable, and even as she fidgeted around, searching for the right way to open a conversation with the usually silent man, he ignored her. When she cleared her throat to begin, his gaze flicked ever so briefly to examine her, but then went back to the outside world. Now more nervous after his icy assessment of her, Kagome struggled to get the words out of her mouth. "Um...Th-thanks. I mean, for taking my side today, and for...for dinner. I mean I know you didn't bring it for me, really, but all the same..."  
"Hn."

She assumed that was his version of "You're welcome", so she braved onwards. "You, uh, do alot for Rin. I think it's pretty awesome." She paused, allowing him time for a response, but when he gave none, she took a deep breath and kept at it. "I don't remember alot of my dad. I was pretty young when he died...about Rins age. After that, I didn't really have a father figure...except my grandpa. But he's never been really good at the paternal thing, I don't think..." she fiddled with the hem of her skirt nervously. "I guess, I'm trying to say...you know, Rins pretty lucky. Having you." She dared to look up at Sesshomaru, and nearly jumped out of her skin when she found him looking at her, his expression still unreadable.

While his sharp gaze examined her features, she remained absolutely motionless and silent, like a young fawn frozen from fear while the panther is assessing how to kill it. She gulped and glanced at the deer meat cooking over the fire, wondering if this was how that young animal felt in its last seconds of life. After another stony moment of silence in which Kagome felt like peeing herself, Sesshomaru finally spoke, actually making eyecontact with her. "You are making an unusual attempt at friendliness, miko."

Kagome heard the silent "Why?" at the end of that statement, and floundered for a reasonable explaination to give him. "Well, I just...you're not as bad as I always used to think you were. And we are going to be travelling together for awhile, so...you know. Why not try to be friends?"

Sesshomaru's expression remained still, but somehow Kagome felt as though he was thinking something along the lines of "You are retarded". Only he was probably thinking it in much fancier words that would make Kagome feel even stupider. She coughed, then glanced at the still snoring Jaken. "Well, anyway, I thought I had a better chance of being friends with you than I did with Jaken. Of course, he's nowhere near as scary as you, but he's quite the little..."  
"Moron?" Kagome was shocked when Sesshomaru finished the sentence for her, some hint of amusement lurking in the back of his eyes.

With a giggle Kagome nodded her agreement. "I was thinking jerk, but he's pretty stupid too."

"Hn." Sesshomaru returned his attention outside, but Kagome somehow understood that this wasn't his way of blowing her off. He just wasn't one for many words, and that made her feel a hell of alot better about herself. She'd had a conversation with Sesshomaru! Grinning, she joined the demon-lord, staring out the cave entrance at the twilight cloaked world.

Realizing that there wasn't much she could see beyond the twinkling stars and the moonlit treetops, she posed a curious question. "Can you see in the dark, Sesshomaru-sama?"

"All inu-youkai possess the ability, just as our other senses are more keen than a humans."

"Hmm, I'll bet it's awesome, being able to see things others can't. I can't even imagine how sensitive all your senses are...I mean, I know InuYasha complains when I use perfume, 'cause he says it reeks, and he's always irritated by loud noises. And if he is so sensitive, you've got to be like...superman or something compared to him!"

Sesshomaru blinked once at her. "Superman?"

Kagome flushed, "Oh, err, yeah...he's kind of a legend. He's this human guy that gets transformed into a superhero by some stuff called kryptonite. He's really strong, fast, and he can hear stuff from miles away. And he can fly, too."

Sesshomaru was silent for a moment, obviously thinking it over. "Is this comparison to a 'hero' one of your unusual attempts at a compliment to this Sesshomaru?"

Flushing an even deeper red, Kagome shoved aside all psychological implications that came to mind at Sesshomaru's point. "Well, yeah, I guess...it is kind of hard to compliment a guy that is so sure of himself, you know."

"Hn." Another moment of silence hung over them while Kagome searched for something new to say that didn't sound contrived. Sesshomaru filled the gap for her, in the end. "This Sesshomaru accepts your presence, miko. You are competent, and strong. That is enough."

Kagome grinned warmly at him, pleased with his version of a compliment, even if she figured what he really meant was "Stop trying to be nice, you're creeping me out". She bowed her head to him, the smile coming through in her voice as she replied. "Thank you, Sesshomaru-sama. That means very much to me."

The youkai nodded once, and Kagome knew that was her signal to leave him alone. Moving back to the fire and helping Rin to finish cooking the meat, she felt very proud of herself for remaining calm and actually being able to read all of Sesshomaru's queue's...or at least, most of them.

It was shortly after all the meat had been removed from the fire that Fuyuko returned, much to Kagome's surprise, with a make-shift steam pot of rice ready to be cooked, and a small knapsack of various sweet berries. Rin was overjoyed, to say the least, and commenced a joyful dance while singing silly made-up rhymes to Fuyuko's praise. Fuyuko accepted the praise with a gentle smile, and when the young human girl finished her song and dance routine and chose to give the demoness a hug, Fuyuko returned it with a gentle care.

After the rice was cooked, the meal was eaten, and the berries were entirely consumed as desert, Shippo and Rin fought sleep with a vigor. Sesshomaru didn't seem to mind Rin's stubborn stand against rest, probably because he was certain that his young ward would pass out from sheer exhaustion soon enough, but Kagome couldn't stand that Shippo's sugar-high energy had lasted this long, and wasn't about to let it go any further.

Grabbing the fiesty kitsune, she cradled him into her side and began stroking his hair while humming a soft lullaby. Soon enough, he was yawning instead of protesting, and he was seeking a more comfortable position to sleep in. Rin seemed disgusted. "How can he fall for a trick like that?" With her hands on her hips, she levelled Kagome with a haughty look that she was sure the young girl had picked up from Sesshomaru. "_I _won't go to sleep _that_ easily."

Fuyuko hummed deep in her chest, smiling softly as she pulled the stubborn human into her lap. "Of course not, you are far smarter and tougher than young Shippo." The little kitsune muttered a sleepy response to the attack on his character.

Rin smiled brightly, "Yup, I am!"

"You are." Fuyuko agreed softly, reaching for the soft-bristled hair brush that Kagome had been using herself minutes ago. The young miko watched as the demoness put careful delicacy into untying Rins ponytail before stroking the black tresses with the borrowed brush. Each pass of the brush was slow and gentle, a soft rythm that reminded Kagome of the care that her mother had put into combing her hair when she was young.

Fuyuko's soft voice carried through the cool air as she sang a song unfamiliar to Kagome. "I see the moon, the moon sees me, and the moon sees the one that I long to see. I once had a heart called mine you see, but now it has gone from me to you. So take good care as I have done, for you have two and I have none. I hear the nightwind singing to me, the nightwind hears my song to thee, and the nightwind carries my song to the one that I long to see. I once had castles of gold you see, but I've said goodbye to them to travail with you. So let us travel far my dear, for while together we need not fear. I see the moon, the moon sees me, and the moon sees the one that I long to see." As the last lilting notes faded from the air, Rin was fast asleep in the demoness' lap.

Fuyuko carefully tucked a blanket around the young girl and tucked her in against Kagome's open side. Surrounded by the soft warmth of the two young children, Kagome felt at peace. With Sesshomaru and Fuyuko at attention and ready to protect them, she knew that she had nothing to worry about, so she closed her eyes and began to drift off to sleep.

Her final thoughts before fading into a peaceful, dreamless sleep, were of the unusual idea that Sesshomaru and Fuyuko were her new family. Kagome felt like the adventurous teenage child, while Shippo and Rin were her younger siblings, and the two stoic and protective youkai were their parents. She chuckled at the idea. Sesshomaru...an actual father...the image of him playing peek-a-boo with a baby was kind of priceless...

///

With all of their wards fast asleep, Fuyuko and Sesshomaru sat side by side at the entrance to the cave, watching the forest come to life in the darkness. The silence between them was more comfortable, and the kinship between them as fellow inu's was unspoken, but growing stronger. The instincts they shared to have a pack to lead and protect made the companionable tie between them quickly, as an alpha and beta. Of course, Fuyuko knew that eventually the instincts that were laying just under that alpha/beta relationship would make things tricky, and fast.

It was instinct that drove generations of inu's to follow the same path. Even the nobility had a fancy ritual that followed the same premise. One male, one female, made the alpha and beta of a small pack. The bonds of loyalty between them are quickly bound, and often unbreakable for several hundered years. And when the female came into her heat, which was inevitable since any fertile youkai female will go into heat six times a year, the obvious would occur.

Fuyuko desperately did not want the obvious to occur.

As sure as she was that Sesshomaru would make a good, strong mate, she was just as sure that she was not ready for the responsibility of matehood, or most certainly motherhood. Of course, there had been males and females that were resiliant enough to resist that instinct, and most certainly Sesshomaru was a strong and unmovable character who would most likely be able to push aside that urge. But resisting a mating had to go both ways, and Fuyuko knew that her hold on self-control was feeble, at best. And she had already seen Sesshomaru topless. What was the use in trying to tell herself that she wasn't interested in _that_?

"Woman." The man in question broke her thoughts, and she turned her head towards him, signaling for him to continue. "This Sesshomaru wishes to know of your involvement with Naraku."

Knowing that it was a demand, not a request, Fuyuko took a deep breath and collected her thoughts and frenzied emotions before she responded. "My father used to be a great general in the Northern territories. He was a man of...great ambition. Over fifty years ago, he gained whom he thought to be an ally. Naraku. The poisonous creature filled both of my parents minds with twisted thoughts and sick ambitions, all to coerce them towards his own depraved goals. In the end, my parents became foolish, challenging an army of demons much stronger than themselves. They were slaughtered, as much of my fathers own army." Fuyuko downcast her gaze, remembering that fateful day and the unbelievable sorrow that she had felt.

Not because her parents had died, but because she did not feel any sorrow over their deaths. It made her feel like a heartless monster, even knowing what awful people her parents had been. With another deep breath, she continued. "Naraku's poisoning of my parents left me an outcast by association. I was forced to leave my home. Ever since, I have been waiting for the chance to exact revenge on him."

"Your father was Shikitei Giichi." Sesshomaru stated, impassive.

Fuyuko raised her eyes, somewhat stunned. Not many outside of the Northern lands knew of her father. "You were familiar with my father?"

"Hn. The man audacious enough to give his family a second name. I had done some business with him before his death."  
With a tilt of her head, Fuyuko tried to recall any mention from her parents of Sesshomaru's name. Certainly, if they had done business with the Western Lord they would have desired to flaunt it at all opportunities. "I am surprised I did not know about your business with him. My parents usually boasted of their dealings with high ranking demons..."

"They were no doubt upset that their dealings with me did not end well for them. I did take a great deal of their assets, and it did cost them a few of their supposedly great warriors." Fuyuko smirked slightly. Now that she thought about it, at one point the name of the Western Lord had fallen out of favor with them, and was even looked down upon when brought up by any visitors. It added a new level of respect to the way she saw Sesshomaru, knowing that he had bested her cunning and malicious parents. His eyes moved to examine her carefully, and Fuyuko remained still, if a little unsure of his assessment. "You bear far more resemblance to your mother."

"I do. I consider it fortuitous, since my father was not well known for his appearance." Fuyuko smiled sarcastically, recalling how her father had often been referred to as a ratty street dog. A well earned-name, since his hair and eyes were a matched pigment of brown-black, and his stature was more gangly and unimpressive than most youkai of his position.

The lapse of silence returned, more comfortable even than the last. Fuyuko felt grateful, knowing that she was in the company of people she could trust. And at the same time she thought that it was unfortunate, since she knew from past experience that happiness never lasted long...

///

**_A/N: _********This time I got the theme "****__****Happiness Quickly Is Lost********" ...I just pick out the happy themes, don't I? Haha, but this chappie was fun. Vair loooong. Got to shove a whole bunch inside there that needed to be done for the story to progress onwards. Had a bit of a sticky time keeping everyone in character...but I think I did alright! Hope you're still enjoying, because I'm still having fun here ^_^ Oh yeah, in case any of you were wondering, that song Fuyuko sang to Rin is my version of the lullaby "I See The Moon". I adapted the original lyrics as I was writing...thought they were oddly fitting for the situation, and our little group in general :) Sooo, the lyrics are copyright to me. Please give credit where credit is due if you intend to use them (credit either my username Twilite-Crescent, or E. Dawn Johnson). Thanks for reading yet another chapter! It's getting funner in here –grin-**


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